The Florida Panthers end the calendar year of 2024 in the middle of a dog fight for the Atlantic Division. Currently, they trail the Toronto Maple Leafs by two points for first in the division with a record of 23-13-2 and 48 points.
As the calendar year comes to a close, it is safe to say that last year can be deemed as the best in Florida Panthers history with the success that came that year.
Sam Reinhart Staying in Florida and Becoming an All-Star
Since being traded to Florida in 2021, Sam Reinhart has been a staple in the Panthers’ lineup. In 2024, he cemented himself as one of the top players on the team. Last postseason, he scored ten goals and assisted on six others. This includes the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. This season alone, he has scored 22 goals and tallied up 23 assists.
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Last summer, he was given a massive extension to stay in Broward County, Florida. A contract worth $69 million for the next eight seasons. And with his performance this season alone, it was worth every penny. Currently, he’s tied for fifth in the NHL in goals with 22 and he was selected to represent Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Gustav Forsling Cementing Himself as the Top Defenseman on the Team
Gustav Forsling will forever be known as the best waiver wire acquisition in Panthers’ history and an absolute steal for general manager Bill Zito. Last season, he had a league-leading plus/minus rating of plus-56, along with the second-highest rating in the playoffs with a plus-9.
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Because of that, he was rewarded with a new contract. Arguably one of the best to have in the league, it is an eight-year $5.75 million deal that will expire at the conclusion of the 2031-32 season.
The Obvious One: Winning the Stanley Cup
A fantasy that Panthers fans have waited 30 years to happen came true this past summer. The Panthers won Game 7 against the Edmonton Oilers and secured their first-ever Stanley Cup in franchise history on June 24, 2024. Despite dropping three in a row after holding a 3-0 lead, they managed to avoid a reverse sweep.
This glorious victory came after ten playoff appearances in 30 years, with three Eastern Conference championships in 1996, 2023, and 2024. Another person who waited 30 years to lift the Cup: head coach Paul Maurice.
“30 f—ing years!” “For every f—ing one of you, 30 years.”
Paul Maurice at the Stanley Cup Championship Parade on June 30, 2024
He then pointed to his wife Michelle.
“And for that woman over there, 30 years of being married to an a—–e,” Maurice said. “In my wildest dreams, I never would’ve thought I could see this.
In addition, the team won eight playoff series over the last few seasons after only having three in their last seven playoff appearances. This day will forever live in history and they look to repeat it once more in 2025.
Can We Expect More Success in 2025?
The team is already off to a hot start as they continue to compete for their second straight division title.
As previously mentioned, they look to repeat as Cup champions in 2025. If they accomplish the task, it will be the first time a team has repeated since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. Regardless, this is a magical time period for the Panthers.
