The Florida Panthers have entered November sitting atop the Atlantic Division with a record of 9-3-1 and 19 points. They trail the Winnipeg Jets for tops in the league by five points, and they are riding a five-game winning streak and eight wins in their last ten games.
This begs the question: are the 2024-25 Panthers better than the team that won the Stanley Cup five months ago? Given the adversity they have faced to start the season, it’s possible.
Sam Reinhart Continues to Be Lethal
Last season, forward Sam Reinhart finished second in the NHL with 57 goals, first in power-play goals with 27, and tied for second in short-handed goals with five. Furthermore, he was second on the team in postseason goals with ten, including the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. As a result of his fantastic efforts, he was signed to an eight-year, $69 million extension worth $8.625 million per season.
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This season, Reinhart is tied for the league lead in goals with ten, tied for fourth in points with 21, and leads the league in short-handed goals with three. He’s currently on a five-game point streak with four goals and four assists in that span. He’s shown no signs of a championship hangover.
Spencer Knight Might Be Bouncing Back
Backup goaltender Spencer Knight was with the Panthers during the regular season in 2023-24 but did spend time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Charlotte Checkers. This came after he entered the NHL Players Assistance program in Feb. 2023 to help manage his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He was named the Panthers’ backup this season, but management also signed Chris Driedger to a one-year deal during the offseason in case Knight’s development stagnates.
He did struggle in his first game against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 12, allowing four goals with a .846 save percentage (SV%). But since then, he’s been better. He’s won his last three starts and now sits at a goals-against average of 2.79 and an SV% of .902. It would be a great comeback story if he can return to the form that got him drafted in the first round back in 2019.
Panthers Found Ways to Win Despite Missing Their Starters
Last month, the team had some key losses. Center Tomas Nosek suffered a concussion during a preseason game and did not play his first game until Nov. 1 against the Dallas Stars. On Oct. 10, in their second game of the season against the Ottawa Senators, captain Aleksander Barkov left with a lower-body injury. He did not return to action until Oct. 28 against the Sabres. Finally, forward Matthew Tkachuk missed four games due to an illness.
But to the Panthers, it barely mattered. Despite filling the infirmary, the team finished October with a record of 7-3-1, including a three-game winning streak that carried into November. They are finding ways to win with their depth, imagine what the roster can do when fully healthy.
Panthers Could Be Headed for Another Deep Run
The Panthers’ core, head coach, and front office from the past two seasons are still with the organization. The system that head coach Paul Maurice has put in place in South Florida is a huge reason why they have been successful.
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The team’s talented roster executes Maurice’s strategy efficiently on any given night. If the team can find ways to win with new depth pieces, starters missing, and a young goalie finding his game again, a deep playoff run should be in the cards for the Panthers. If so, could become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Tampa Bay Lightning did in 2020 and 2021.
