The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2023-2024 and in 2024-2025, but it is very hard for an NHL team to win it all for the third straight season. Florida has not had the same success this season as it did the last couple of years. Even though the Panthers have won it all the last two seasons, they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals during the 2022-2023 season.

The Panthers lost to the New York Islanders 5-4 on Sunday night in regulation. With the loss for Florida, they have a 30-27-3 record with 63 points this season. Florida has played 60 games this season and they have just 22 games remaining in the 2025-26 NHL season. The Panthers are in seventh in the Atlantic Division and they are eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Confernece.

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With the NHL trade deadline on Friday, March 6, is it the best bet for the Panthers to sell at this year’s trade deadline. Is time also running out for them to make the playoffs?

Time Is Running Out on the Florida Panthers

Florida will be facing the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday on the road before the NHL trade deadline occurs. The Panthers could very well lose both of these games, and it will make the trade deadline much easier for them.

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Trying to catch Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot is going to take a lot of work for them. Goaltending has not been the same this year. Austin Nivison of CBSsports.com said about the Panthers chances of making the playoffs, “The Panthers have dealt with devastating injuries all season, and they’ve got a lot of work to do to reach the postseason, but captain Aleksander Barkov has started skating again. If Florida can get Barkov back into the lineup, that would be a huge boost, but it’ll also need Sergei Bobrovsky to look more like himself.”

Injuries have no doubt been the biggest culprit of this Panthers season. Not having Aleksander Barkov in the lineup all season for Florida has been noticeable. Bobrovsky played against the Islanders on Sunday night and gave up five goals. He has played a lot over the last few seasons. Bobrovsky is very tired and worn down.

The rest of the team is probably worn down as well from all of the wear and tear during the Stanley Cup playoffs over the last few seasons. There are 22 games left for Florida to make the playoffs, but they are going to have to leapfrog a lot of times and get a lot of help. Head coach Paul Maruice has been through the grind lately. It doesn’t look great for the Panthers to make it this season, and they need a full offseason of rest to reset for the 2026-2027 NHL season.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.