Excitement Surrounds Panthers Players After Offseason Shakeup

As the Florida Panthers arrived at their annual media day to kick off the season, you got the sense there was new-found energy in the building. Especially with all the changes in the offseason.

After a post-season that ended far too early, players of the Florida Panthers were eager to get back on the ice and get the season underway. 

“It’s a new season. It’s a new life. Everything starts from zero,” remarked goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, adding “I’m so excited for the opportunity in front of us.”

And there are plenty of reasons for everyone to be excited about this season.

A Blockbuster Summer

General Manager Bill Zito arguably had the busiest summer of any manager in the NHL. And in the midst of all the wheeling and dealing, Zito pulled off one of the biggest trades the league has ever seen.

On July 22 Bill Zito would trade Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a 2025 first-round pick to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk and a 2025 fourth-round pick. 

It was the catalyst that sparked a massive overhaul of the Florida Panthers roster.

Mason Marchment, Claude Giroux, Joe Thornton, Ben Chiarot, Noel Acciari, Robert Hagg, Markus Nutivaara, Chase Priskie, and the aforementioned Huberdeau and Weegar, all landed on new teams.

That is a combined 69 goals and 257 points, gone.

Adding That Missing Piece

But in came Matthew Tkachuk, whom Bill Zito believed was the missing ingredient for his roster in order to take the next step toward winning the Stanley Cup.

“Ingredients are key. You have to have a bit of everything,” noted new head coach Paul Maurice. “And Tkachuk is a unique ingredient.”

Maurice is right. The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in all professional sports. It requires a roster that is deep and boasts an ensemble of gifted individuals, all with a specific skill set, who can gel as a team and generate high-level hockey at both ends of the ice.

Last year’s Panthers boasted a terrifyingly potent offence and relied on it heavily to win games. Weaknesses in other parts of their game were often an afterthought as the Panthers could just continue scoring at will whenever they faltered defensively. 

But at the end of the day, you can’t make a cake with just flour.

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Holes in the Roster

This became abundantly clear when the Panthers faced their in-state rivals in the playoffs. The run-and-gun offence the Panthers relied so heavily on cooled and the Tampa Bay Lightning made quick work of the Panthers.

And when one area of your game stalls, you need to be able to adapt and rely on other areas to find a way to win. The Panthers, as great as they were last season, were too one-dimensional. 

And that’s no knock to Huberdeau and Weegar. They are brilliant players and will be missed. But Zito saw an opportunity this offseason to add a new dimension to their identity—those missing ingredients.

“It’s a business and management felt that was a way for us to change and evolve and be set up for years to come. I couldn’t agree more and I think we’re set up for a great season with this team,” said veteran defenceman, Aaron Ekblad.

Becoming More Balanced

Other new additions to the team include Rudolfs Balcers, Nick Cousins, Colin White, and Marc Staal.

These names may not be flashy but their impact on the ice will certainly be visible. 

“We want to start the process of building a game that we can play straight through from the regular season into the playoffs,” Maurice said.

And this addition of depth will allow the Cats to do just that. 

But Maurice isn’t looking to completely change this dynamic offence.

Despite the loss of offensive weapons, the Panthers’ strength will still be in their ability to drive the play and create offence.

“We have no plans of losing what our strength is,” Maurice said regarding the Panthers’ success on offence and with their transition game.

But he believes there will be a new focus on executing “within three feet of the boards.”

It’s safe to say we are going to see a more balanced game from the Florida Panthers this season after their busy off-season.

Generating Excitement

And this new look has driven the excitement in the dressing room through the roof.

With the new coach, players, and outlook on the season, the excitement in the room seems to be contagious.

“I’m really excited about everything that’s happening here,” Captain Aleksander Barkov said. 

“I want to win here… I’m lucky and I’m fortunate that I’m here.”

His sentiment was echoed by newcomer and veteran defenceman Marc Staal.

“There’s a lot of players returning that are hungry to get after it,” Staal said. “I’m looking forward to jumping in and getting involved with these guys.”

With training camp now underway, the Panthers have a few weeks to familiarize themselves on the ice with their new teammates and coach.

There’s still a lot of work that needs to get done before opening day on Oct. 13 but it’s an exciting time to be a Panthers fan. 

And this season has all the makings to be a special one.