Are the Panthers better now than their previous championship?

The Florida Panthers, marred by injuries in 2025-26, were notable absentees in the postseason.

After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, it was natural to think they hit their peak, even if that peak would prolong for a few more years.

Somehow, general manager Bill Zito may have assembled an even better roster going into 2026-27 than he did during their previous Cup victories.

Forwards

The addition of Brady Tkachuk makes this team somehow tougher than they already were. When both Tkachuk brothers flank Sam Bennett, it’s going to be a hard line to keep up with during a seven-game series.

Each of them are skilled offensively, as well, with Brady and Matthew being 30-goal scorers when healthy over a full season and Bennett consistently eclipsing 20. This would be the top line for almost every playoff team in the league. In Sunrise, it’s only No. 2.

As for the third line, it will likely be anchored by Anton Lundell, with Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen on the wings. It’s a line that meshed incredibly well during the 2025 postseason.

Lundell has been dubbed “Baby Barkov” since his debut in 2021. Head coach Paul Maurice even declared the 24-year-old to be captain-in-waiting while Barkov has held that role since 2018.

With Barkov out all of last year with a torn ACL, the Panthers got a taste of what Lundell could provide as a top center. In just 64 games, he tallied a career-high in goals (18) while excelling defensively in five-on-five and the penalty kill.

Defense

The Panthers acquired Seth Jones just before the 2024-25 trade deadline in exchange for Spencer Knight. Jones and Niko Mikkola made for an excellent No. 2 defensive pair, allowing less than a goal per 60 minutes during the final month of that regular season. In those playoffs, they outperformed the top pair of Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling with 1.97 goals allowed per 60 minutes.

Now, the two will get a full season together, allowing them to mesh even more, just like Ekblad and Forsling have over the past several seasons.

The addition of former Panther Radko Gudas only makes this team tougher to keep up with over a long playoff series. He could rotate out with Uvis Balsinskis and Donavan Sebrango. Sebrango played a full-time role last year for the first time in his career with the influx of injuries to the roster.

Goaltending

This will be the only position group that could take a step back. With the departure of Sergei Bobrovsky to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida brought in Akira Schmid and former Panther Jacob Markstrom.

Markstrom, 36, hasn’t been in good form the last couple of years, posting save percentages at or below .900 in two seasons with the New Jersey Devils. Last year, he allowed 3.07 goals per game.

Schmid, a career backup, has a .898 save percentage over five seasons and 82 games played.

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