Why Panthers Are Poised to Learn from Last Year’s Stanley Cup Loss

Just the New York Rangers and either the Oilers or the Stars are all that separate the Florida Panthers from their first-ever Stanley Cup title. The Panthers were in a similar situation last year, sweeping the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals, only to lose the Stanley Cup Finals in five games to the upstart Golden Knights. While disappointing, that loss could be considered a learning experience for the Panthers, giving them hope that this year will be different. Let’s look at some of the reasons why the Panthers will succeed in 2024 where they faltered in 2023.

Team Effort

Florida’s postseason success last year was largely a result of Matthew Tkachuk carrying the Panthers in crunch time and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky going above and beyond what was expected of him. Granted, there’s nothing wrong with relying on your biggest star and your goalie to carry the load. It allowed the Panthers to reach the Stanley Cup Finals as the no. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. However, relying on two key players isn’t always sustainable, which the Panthers found out in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Luckily, that hasn’t been the case for Florida this year. The Panthers have played more of a team game during the first two rounds of the playoffs. Rather than eking out tight games thanks to Tkachuk coming through in the clutch, half of Florida’s postseason wins in the first two rounds came by multiple goals. The entire roster is contributing to the team’s success, which is why the Panthers finished the regular season as the top seed, meaning this year’s postseason run has been expected rather than being a fluke.

Balance

Along those lines, the Panthers have had great balance, no longer relying on Tkachuk too much or asking him to carry them on his shoulders. A year ago, he led the Panthers in goals and assists during the postseason. But through the first two rounds of the playoffs this year, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, and Carter Verhaeghe all scored more goals than Tkachuk. 

To be fair, Tkachuk holds the team lead in points, as his assists have been a catalyst for Florida’s attack. But the Panthers are far from a one-man show, as 11 players already have multiple goals in 11 playoff games whereas 13 players had multiple goals in 21 postseason games last year. Not having to rely so much on Tkachuk to jumpstart the offense figures to be a key differentiator this season now that the Panthers are deep in the playoffs.

Full Strength at the Right Time

Naturally, being healthy at the right time of year is critical to playoff success. The Panthers were undoubtedly hindered by injuries during last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. But there is little question that the Panthers are as close to full health right now as they can get. Most notably, defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour missed significant chunks of time during the regular season, playing 51 and 66 games, respectively. 

However, both have been healthy during the playoffs, each ranking among the top three Panthers in ice time through the first two rounds of the playoffs. That will help to ensure that the Panthers are at their best on the defensive end of the ice, providing adequate support for Bobrovsky to shine without having to carry the team on his back the way he did during large stretches of last year’s playoffs.

Been There, Done That

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, never discount the importance of experience. Just reaching the Stanley Cup Finals last year was a big step for a franchise that hadn’t been there since 1996. The Panthers brought back 15 players from last season, giving them a core of experienced players, which wasn’t the case a year ago. Florida doubled down by bringing in veterans like Vladimir Tarasenko and Nikko Mikkola who each won the Stanley Cup earlier in their career.

With that experience, the Panthers have one less obstacle than they had a year ago. They aren’t going to fold in pressure-filled moments or be intimidated by the big stage. That alone could be enough to put them over the top in 2024. There have been eight instances in NHL history of a team losing the Stanley Cup Finals only to lift the cup the next year, but not since the Penguins did it in 2009. Perhaps the Panthers can be the next.

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