Cat Scratch Fever has shifted up the calendar a pair months this time round. Final yr, the Florida Panthers spent the primary half of the season on the lookout for sign on their telephone earlier than closing the second half with a flourish to make the playoffs. That carried over into the postseason as they chased down the Boston Bruins, taking seven video games within the first spherical to kneecap the league’s greatest regular-season groups (and top-of-the-line regular-season groups ever). That propelled them to a run to the Ultimate after they completely clobbered the Leafs and Canes.
The Cats aren’t ready round this time, as because the calendar has flipped to 2024, they’re 16-4-2, have the perfect points-percentage within the NHL, and are sitting only one level behind the Bruins for the highest of the Atlantic Division with a sport in hand. You’ll discover lots of people saying they’re the Jap Convention favourite to as soon as once more get to the Stanley Cup Finals, and it could be laborious to discover a extra full workforce within the East than Florida.
In each class that could possibly be used to measure groups, the Panthers are prime 5.
Corsi share: Second
Anticipated objectives share: Third
Energy Play: Fifth
Penalty Kill: Sixth
Objectives towards per sport: Second
If something, the Panthers have been unfortunate. They’re fifth within the league in xGF per 60 minutes at even-strength with a 2.85 mark, however they’re solely taking pictures 7.24 %, good for twenty ninth within the league. So their objectives per sport of two.38 solely ranks twenty fourth. There’s truly room to develop for this squad.
That isn’t all that shocking contemplating they could have the perfect 1-2 middle combo round. Sasha Barkov carried the “Most Underrated Participant” label for thus lengthy that most individuals received sick of him, however contemplating the Panthers nonetheless don’t get plenty of nationwide consideration and he nonetheless stays one of many three greatest 200-foot facilities within the sport, he in all probability continues to be underrated. Barkov’s possession-numbers rival Connor McDavid’s, besides McDavid begins 65 % of his shifts within the offensive zone, whereas Barkov begins solely about half of his. And but he creates the identical makes an attempt and probability disparity for the Panthers that McJesus does for the Oilers.
Barkov can be nearly the perfect forechecker within the league:
Behind him is Sam Bennett, who has related possession numbers and has offered the platform for Sam Reinhart to be on a 55-goal tempo this season. You’ll see from that chart that Matthew Tkachuk can be top-of-the-line forwards within the league off the cycle or forecheck, which is available in awfully helpful within the playoffs as opponents look to shrink the ice. And Tkachuk and Barkov play on separate traces, divvying up the Panthers menace over 30-40 minutes per sport.
The Cats may also have the deepest blue line, 1-6, within the NHL. Aaron Ekblad returned from most of his organs falling out throughout final yr’s playoff run to be one of many higher d-men within the NHL, with possession-numbers round 60 % although he begins lower than half his shifts within the offensive zone. Gustav Forsling, whom I bear in mind being completely helpless when his profession began in Chicago, held the fort down whereas Montour and Ekblad have been out to start out the season. The Panthers have benefitted from a real renaissance from Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who seemed like a rotisserie rooster in Vancouver.
The Panthers use that defensive depth to be maybe the league’s most aggressive workforce defending their blue line, as no workforce denies clear entry into their zone as a lot as Florida does.
Groups simply don’t get into the Panthers zone in any respect, which will get them the puck again, which suggests they’re turning round their super-charged offense shortly and getting the puck deep on their opponents the place Barkov and Tkachuk make life hell.
Florida additionally has the posh of two goalies taking part in nicely with none type of controversy about it. Sergei Bobrovsky was adequate to get the Panthers to the Ultimate final season and can take the wheel come April. He’s having his greatest common season in a while this marketing campaign, with a .916 save share. And he can get all the remainder he wants as a result of Anthony Stolarz has rocked a .925 whereas backing him up, and doubtless must be used extra to maintain Bob contemporary for what issues. Stolarz has the fifth-best goals-saved-above-average-per-game amongst goalies. There simply aren’t too many holes right here.
Trying over the competitors within the East, the Bruins are weak down the center. The Canes don’t have a goalie or a pedigree of not swallowing their very own tongue within the playoffs. The Leafs protection is sluggish and so they even have goalie questions. The Rangers stay an iffy even-strength workforce leaning means too closely on their energy play, although the Cats are simply red-assed sufficient to boil over and make that matter far more than it ought to, ought to they should go to Broadway in Might.
The Panthers have been the Presidents’ Trophy winner two seasons in the past. They represented the East within the Ultimate final yr. They may simply mix each this one.
