The Florida Panthers, holding a 22-16-3 record and one point shy of a playoff spot, are set to begin a six-game road trip against Eastern Conference opponents starting Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Key players like Matthew Tkachuk and Cole Schwindt will join the team, while Seth Jones is sidelined week-to-week with an injury. The trip comes on the heels of a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.
Following Monday's practice at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, the Florida Panthers packed for a demanding six-game road trip, with 10 of their remaining 13 January games away from home. Sitting just one point out of the second wild-card spot with a game in hand, the team boasts an 8-7-0 road record overall, improving to 6-1-0 over their last seven away contests. All six upcoming games are against Eastern Conference foes, including Tuesday's matchup at the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday and Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Head coach Paul Maurice emphasized the team's preparation for the road grind. "We’ve worked really, really hard here – by we, I mean everybody else – on developing a road game we all understand," Maurice said. "We don’t look at these road trips as a long, painful block. If you can play every second day on the road and don’t have a lot of aberrations like a 1 o’clock game, it’s pretty routine. That’s a playoff mindset and a playoff format. We work on our recovery."
Forward Sam Bennett is riding a nine-game point streak, tallying 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) and contributing to a 5-3-1 record during that span. He opened the scoring in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Avalanche with a strong individual effort. "I feel pretty good about my game," Bennett said. "Our whole line has been generating quite a bit. I think we can be a bit better defensively, but all-around I feel pretty good about my game." Since November 17, Bennett ranks tied for 14th in NHL scoring with 26 points, second on the Panthers in hits (50) and faceoff wins (167).
Injury updates provided optimism amid challenges. Matthew Tkachuk, practicing in a non-contact jersey since December 28, will travel with the team, with a possible return during the trip. Cole Schwindt, recovering from a broken arm suffered November 17 in a collision with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, has shed his non-contact jersey and could play soon; he has two goals in 10 games this season. Jonah Gadjovich returned to practice in a no-contact jersey after upper-body surgery from an October 25 injury, but his return is not expected until after the 2026 Olympic break.
Defenseman Seth Jones, a key backend contributor leading Florida blueliners with 23:29 average time on ice, six goals, 18 assists, and 24 points, is listed week-to-week after an injury during the Winter Classic. "We expect him back before the Olympic break," Maurice said. "We’re hopeful for that. We think it’s going to be that, but he’s going to be a couple weeks away."
Fans can catch the Thursday game against Montreal at a watch party starting 30 minutes before puck drop at Funky Buddha in Fort Lauderdale. Forward Carter Verhaeghe highlighted the boost from returning players: "It’s awesome. Those guys are a huge part of our team. To see how hard they’ve worked in the gym to get into the position they’re in now and close to returning, it’s awesome. We need them back, and we’re looking forward to it."
