The Florida Panthers have a 5-5-0 record through their first 10 games of the season, holding a playoff spot despite injuries to key players like Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. They secured a 3-0 shutout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, with Sergei Bobrovsky earning his 50th career shutout. Upcoming, they host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday without leading scorer Brad Marchand due to a personal matter.
The Florida Panthers are navigating early-season challenges as they reach the 10-game mark with a 5-5-0 record. Despite sidelining injuries to forwards Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Tomas Nosek, as well as defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions maintain a playoff position entering Monday's games.
On Saturday, the Panthers delivered a strong performance in a 3-0 win against the Vegas Golden Knights, who were undefeated in regulation prior to the matchup. Brad Marchand, A.J. Greer, and Cole Schwindt scored the goals, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves for his 50th career shutout. At 5-on-5, Florida dominated with a 38-18 edge in scoring chances.
Head coach Paul Maurice noted the team's adjustments: “It’s a brand-new team. Significant pieces are out, so you have to find groups that can fit together, the chemistry, then chart a direction with a style of game. There has been a shift [this season]. … I think it’s style of game. It’s not the core foundation of what we believe or how we want to play, but we are going to look different.”
Defenseman Gustav Forsling added, “I think we competed real well. We knew they’re a real good team and had a real good start. We were really pumped for that game.”
Statistically, the Panthers rank eighth in the NHL with an expected goals percentage of 54.05% per NaturalStatTrick.com, suggesting positive underlying play despite their record. Defenseman Niko Mikkola emphasized the grind ahead: “We’ve got things to improve and build on, but every team is giving their best against us. There’s no free points in this league. We need to battle for every point. That’s the main thing.”
For Tuesday's game against the Anaheim Ducks, Marchand will miss out due to a family passing, leaving his team-leading 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in 10 games behind. Jonah Gadjovich is sidelined for about a week with an upper-body injury; he leads Florida with 30 hits and has three assists with a +2 rating. Noah Gregor will make his season debut, joining Luke Kunin in the lineup.
Additionally, defenseman Donovan Sebrango, claimed off waivers from the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 15, is set to arrive Monday after paperwork delays. He has four career NHL games, including 16:09 of ice time against the Panthers on Oct. 11. With his arrival, Tobias Bjornfot returns to the AHL.
Monday's practice lines included:
Forwards:
- Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart
- Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Mackie Samoskevich
- A.J. Greer – Sam Bennett – Jesper Boqvist
- Noah Gregor – Cole Schwindt – Luke Kunin
Defensemen:
- Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
- Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
- Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry
Goaltenders:
- Sergei Bobrovsky
- Daniil Tarasov