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Panthers Get Key Trio Back for Showdown With Maple Leafs

The Florida Panthers will welcome some key players back to the lineup for a pivotal matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jon Alfano

Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart celebrates a goal with defenseman Gustav Forsling and center Aleksander Barkov.
Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart celebrates a goal with defenseman Gustav Forsling and center Aleksander Barkov. / Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
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The reigning Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers have found themselves in a bit of a slump as of late, dropping five-straight games and all but taking themselves out of the race for the Atlantic Division crown.

While the Panthers have struggled on the ice, it's more understandable given the sheer number of injuries they're dealing with.

They were without eight regulars in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, including Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Nico Sturm, Gustav Forsling Aaron Ekblad and Dmitri Kulikov. Tkachuk has been out since the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, but the other injuries are far more recent.

Luckily for them, they seem to be getting slightly healthier now. According to TSN's Mark Masters, all three of Barkov, Reinhart and Forsling are all expected to return for Tuesday's pivotal game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Barkov hasn't played since April 1, while Reinhart and Forsling only missed the aforementioned game on Sunday.

Barkov, Florida's captain since 2018, is having himself another strong season, recording 67 points (19 goals, 48 assists) in 64 games. He missed some time early in the season, but rebounded nicely and is now the heavy favorite to win his third Selke Trophy.

Reinhart scored the second-most goals in the league last season with 57, earning an eight-year, $69 million extension from Florida as a result. He hasn't been quite as dominant this year with 78 points (37 goals, 41 assists) in 76 games, but he has still been very good.

Forsling has established himself as Florida's top defenseman in recent years, and even led the NHL with a plus-56 rating last season. The Swedish blue-liner now has 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) and a team-high plus-31 rating this year.

While getting three of their best players back is great news for the Panthers, it's not all great news on the injury front. Bennett is expected to be out for the rest of the regular season, but should return for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs later this month. Sturm will also for their next game on Thursday against the Red Wings.

The Panthers sit six points behind the first-place Maple Leafs and four points behind the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning. If they want to keep their slim chances of winning the Atlantic Division alive, they absolutely have to win Tuesday's game, preferably in regulation.

However, that may be the least of their concerns right now. The Ottawa Senators are only two points behind the Panthers for third in the Atlantic, so if Florida doesn't break out of this slump soon, it could fall to a wild card spot.

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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