The NHL season begins when the puck drops Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. between the reigning, back to back, Stanley Cup winning Florida Panthers and the rising Chicago Blackhawks.
The question on every hockey fan’s mind is can the Panthers three-peat?
The Florida Panthers have dominated the Eastern Conference for the past two years. They made the finals in 2023 and lost to the Golden Knights then beat the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals in the last two years. There is a real chance that they become the first NHL team since 1980-1983 to three-peat. The last team to do this was the dominant New York Islanders led by All-Star right wing Mike Bossy. If the Panthers three-peat, they’d be the first team in the major North American leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) since the 2000-2002 Los Angeles Lakers dynasty. This was the same team that was led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant and often considered some of the greatest basketball teams of all time. If the Panthers pulled off the rare feat, they would without a doubt be considered one of the greatest teams in the salary cap era.
The Panthers have always been seen as a sort of a joke in the NHL as, between 1997 and 2021, they only made it to the playoffs six times and never won a series. They managed to win a series in the 2021-2022 playoffs against the Washington Capitals but lost in the second round to division rival Tampa Bay Lightning. Things started to change for the Cats in the 2022 offseason when they hired Paul Maurice as head coach, and acquired star forward Matthew Tkachuk. Since then, it’s been all Panthers with their three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearances.
Alexander Barkov in action against the Edmonton Oilers. | Photo Credit / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
In recent news, there have been some injuries that seriously harm the Cats’ chances of a three peat. Star captain Alexander Barkov injured his ACL and MCL, putting him out for an estimated 7-9 months. This puts him out until at least the start of the playoffs. This, however, could work out in the Panthers’ favor, as if he is ready by the start of the playoffs the Panthers will have a fresh skater eager to get back on the ice. Barkov was important to the Panthers offense in the 24-25 playoffs, with 6 goals, 16 assists, totaling for 22 points. Also, missing your captain has a huge effect on the locker room and could greatly lower morale.
Another missing player will be Matthew Tkachuk, who underwent surgery for a torn abductor in August, and is expected to be out until December. The missing of Tkachuk for the first quarter of the season could have an impact on the Panthers season standings, but they are still bound to make the playoffs. In Tkachuk and Barkov’s absence, NHL veteran Brad Marchand should be given the title of Alternate Captain and show some leadership on the ice.
The Florida Panthers are still a threat to the NHL, with their relentless forecheck and unstoppable offense. In the 24-25 playoffs, Brad Marchand had ten goals, with six of them being in the Finals against the Oilers. Other feats of the 24-25 Panthers include center Sam Reinhart’s incredible 81 points regular season performance, giving him a point per game average. Another reason why the Panthers are such a formidable threat is their willingness to play a dirty and rough game. Enforcer A.J Greer spent a whopping 130 minutes in the penalty box last season and had a total of six fights. Center Sam Bennet wasn’t far behind with 90 penalty minutes and has a controversial play-style that many consider dirty and unsportsmanlike. In January 2025, Bennet received a $5000 dollar penalty for roughing Penguins forward Drew O’Connor.
Starting goalie for the Panthers, Sergei Bobrovsky, had a phenomenal season last year. His GAA (Goals against average) was only 2.44, the fifth lowest in the NHL. He had a win loss rate of 33-19 and a save percentage of .906. In the playoffs his GAA was 2.20, and save percentage was .914%, making for some truly impressive feats.
Overall, the Florida Panthers are going to have another successful season this year, with a dominant offense, reliable goaltending and their willingness to get their hands dirty, the Panthers are the favorite to win the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season.
-All stats from NHl.com, Statsmuse, and Hockeyfights.com
