The Toronto Maple Leafs took the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers to a decisive seventh game during last season's NHL playoffs before bowing out meekly on home ice. It was the second time in three postseasons that the Panthers eliminated the Leafs.
The Maple Leafs arguably gave the Panthers their stiffest competition on their way to a title, blowing a two-goal lead in Game 3 that could have given them a near insurmountable 3-0 series lead. It was an improvement from the second-round loss in 2022-2023, but blowout losses on home ice in Games 5 and 7 left a sour taste for the Maple Leafs and their fans.
The Panthers have firmly established themselves as Toronto's biggest obstacle to a deep playoff run. While the Leafs made their own offseason adjustments, most notably losing All-Star winger Mitch Marner, it's the Panthers who continue to set the pace, retooling just enough to remain dangerous without compromising the core that brought them back-to-back titles.
As the new season approaches, the road to Atlantic supremacy, and perhaps the Stanley Cup, still runs through Sunrise.
Panthers Return Core in Effort to Extend Championship Run
"Keeping the band together" was the theme of the Panthers' offseason. After putting a bow on their second consecutive title, Panthers' general manager Bill Zito didn't have much time to celebrate.
Long-time Panther mainstays Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad, along with trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand, were some of the most sought-after names headed towards unrestricted free agency on July 1.
Zito didn't waste any time in dashing the hopes of numerous NHL teams that would have been interested in securing the services of those three players. Over a few days leading up to free agency, he signed Bennett (June 27), Ekblad (June 30), and Marchand (July 1) to extensions to remain in Florida and bring back key parts of their championship DNA.
Zito and the Panthers committed to eight years for both Bennett and Ekblad. The thirty-seven-year-old Marchand was inked to a six-year deal that will take him to age forty-three. The combined cost of the three deals was over $144 million.
Bringing back Conn Smythe Trophy winner Bennett was the Panthers' most important move. The 29-year-old scored a postseason-high 15 goals, five during the Stanley Cup Final, helping Florida get past the Edmonton Oilers for the second year in a row.
Scoring when it matters most and stepping up his game during the postseason have been hallmarks of Bennett's time in the Sunshine State. Over the past four regular seasons with the Panthers, he has been a 40-50 point producer, scoring 181 points in 279 games for a 0.65 points-per-game average. In those four playoff seasons he has accumulated 54 points in 72 games or 0.75 points-per-game. Over the last three postseasons, those numbers look even better, with 51 points in 62 games (0.82 points-per-game).
Bennett's goal-scoring wasn't his only influence on the Panthers' championship run. His controversial hit on Maple Leafs' goaltender Anthony Stolarz caused a concussion that sidelined Toronto's starter for the remainder of the series. It left the Leafs wondering what might have been had Stolarz not been injured.
Rest assured, had Bennett reached unrestricted free agency, Maple Leafs' general manager Brad Treliving would have offered the bruising forward a deal to lure him to Toronto in an effort to change the Leafs' DNA.
Injuries Diminish Panthers' Chance for a Three-Peat
The Panthers were the betting favorite for a three-peat thanks to no significant player losses from last year's roster. Aging, third-pairing defenseman Nate Schmidt left in free agency and was replaced by Jeff Petry on a one-year deal. News that Matthew Tkachuk requires surgery, and a devastating injury to captain Aleksander Barkov has reduced Florida's odds of a title to sixth-best.
The only other significant roster change was Daniil Tarasov replacing Vitek Vanecek as the backup goaltender to starter Sergei Bobrovsky. Former backup Spencer Knight was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks last season to acquire defenseman Seth Jones.
The Panthers remain loaded and will be the Maple Leafs' greatest challenge to repeating a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division. The best third-line in hockey, Anton Lundell, between Eetu Luostarinen and Marchand, returns to support a top six that includes Barkov and Tkachuk, when they return, plus Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Bennett. It's a group that is littered with proven playoff performers.
On defense, Florida boasts a top four of Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Jones, and Niko Mikkola. Bobrovsky gives the Panthers one of the league's best big-game goaltending performers.
On paper, the Panthers are just as strong as their two recent championship teams, with all of their key players returning. The biggest deterrents to becoming an NHL dynasty are injuries and motivation. Tkachuk will miss a significant amount of the regular season, tending to his lower-body injury. The more demoralizing news for Florida was the ACL/MCL injury to Barkov that is expected to sideline him for seven to nine months.
The Atlantic Division will once again be a three-horse race between the Maple Leafs, Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Eventually, the extensions to Ekblad, Bennett, and Marchand are not going to age well, but that time is not now. Even with Tkachuk sidelined for a few months, and Barkov even longer, the Panthers still have the depth to regain the top spot in the division, especially with Marner now in Vegas.
Regardless of who wins the Atlantic, the Maple Leafs and Panthers seem destined to renew their playoff rivalry next spring.