Fort Lauderdale – A new season begins, but the way of thinking remains the same.
The Stanley Cup will be rolled up in June.
Despite entering the season with another world resume over the past four seasons, the presidential trophy, three Stanley Cup appearances and consecutive cup wins – the Florida Panthers are looking at next season as a clean slate.
Previous statistics are not important if the pack drops for the season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks at Season Bank Arena on October 7th.
“We’re going to start from scratch again,” goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, the playoff hero of the past two cups, said during the media day at the Baptist Health Iceplex on Wednesday.
The Panthers’ excitement didn’t end after beating the Edmonton Oilers in six games in June to win their second Stanley Cup.
The core has historically tended to collapse over time, but Florida is getting stronger.
“It’s very exciting,” Eckbrad said the team is running it for most of the same roster as last year. “My goal was for everyone to come back, including myself. I’m happy to be here.”
An opportunity to join elites and historic groups, the Panthers have the chance to become the third team to reach the four straight Stanley Cup Finals, a very small club that only includes the Montreal Canadians and New York Islanders.
The Panthers also joined the Toronto Maple Leafs, Canadians and Islanders as the fourth franchise in NHL history, allowing them to win three consecutive Stanley Cups.
“We have the opportunity to do something special for a while here,” said Bennett, the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner and playoff goal leader (15).
Winning one Cup is special, but doing so more to do it twice more has been the success of the team in recent seasons that has made players hungry rather than satisfying.
If they know they can do that, why not do it again?
“Passistance, you haven’t seen it in this room,” said Marchand, who tallied 10 goals and 10 assists on an unforgettable run to the Cup. “Everyone has the same mindset. When you taste it, you really, really want it again.”
But the Panthers are defending champions, but they don’t have defense.
The upcoming season will require the Panthers to go ahead of the other 31 teams, not whether the team can snatch the cup from their claws.
Even if the target is behind them, they always imagine themselves as hunters.
“It’s not about defending the cup, it’s about winning,” Barkov said.
Following the second short summer, the Panthers will begin their new season of quests and return to the ice on the first day of training camp on Thursday.
Stay tuned at Floridapanthers.com for the latest updates throughout the Camp.
