After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Florida Panthers had a bit of a scare heading into the offseason. Three crucial players, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad, were set up to become free agents. GM Bill Zito had a big task on his hands and knew he had to bring them back. He also had to retool the roster in hopes of being back in the Stanley Cup finals, but was it enough?
Is there more pressure on the Panthers this season?
Winning back-to-back Stanley Cups is not an easy feat. Only 10 other teams in the history of the NHL have done so and the pressure is on the Panthers to get back to the finals, let alone win another championship after grabbing 98 points and finishing third in the Atlantic Division.
Florida does not have to finish at the top of the league. Getting into the playoffs is the main goal but it might be tougher this season. Teams around them have gotten better and one of their main offensive weapons, Matthew Tkachuk, is out for the beginning of the season. They need to get off to a good start because if they do not it could be a long season.
The offseason sees many roster changes
Rumors about the possible changes to the roster got many people talking about what the team could look like for the 2025-26 season. However, Zito would not only retain the biggest names on the roster but he also added depth. He brought back Bennett and Ekblad on eight-year deals and Marchand on a six-year deal. He also brought in goaltender Daniil Tarasov, left winger Thomas Nosek, defenseman Jeff Petry, and center Luke Kunin on one-year deals, giving them a deeper roster that can supply a bit more offense. Tarasov may be the key addition as starter Sergei Bobrovsky will need the occasional night off and he will be looked at to fill those shoes in net.
Will Tkachuk's injury hurt the panthers?
Tkachuk will be out until December due to what is being called a lower-body injury. He is arguably the most important piece to the Panther's puzzle and will be missed in more than one way. He has shown what he is capable of but he also plays a physical style of hockey and those things do happen. Zito did go out and get Nosek to possibly fill that roster spot but fans should not expect the same production out of Nosek.
If the Panthers can get by until December he will give them a boost just by being on the ice. Yes, he will be missed but with the depth they have the results on the ice should not be affected that much. Tkachuk has only played a full season once, in the 2021-22 season with the Calgary Flames. Last season with the Panthers he played 52 games.
Zito made sure that his team would be right back in the round of two at the end of the season. He brought back three pivotal pieces and added where he needed to. The Panthers have a well-rounded team that should be back in a position to win another championship. Three straight Stanley Cup appearances are extremely tough to do but the Panthers have a solid roster that now has that experience.