George Richards, FHN Publisher
At this time last year, we were talking about the Florida Panthers being a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup.
Going into the second half of the 2022-23 season, however, these Panthers look like they could be the first team in nine years to go from winning the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy to missing the playoffs entirely.
A 5-1 loss in Dallas on Sunday marked the official end to what has been a very disappointing first half of the team’s season.
While the Panthers expected a drop off of last year’s historical 58 wins and 122 points, no one would have predicted that this team would sustain more regulation losses (19) in the first 41 games than last season’s squad did over the course of 82 (18).
What happens now?
With 41 games remaining, the Panthers certainly have the opportunity to get back into this thing as Florida remains six points back of the Islanders for the final playoff spot.
But with every loss, the team loses the opportunity to pick up ground on a number of teams they are fighting with.
While we were talking about whether the Panthers could get a top seed at the midway point last year, now the conversation is can they even get back to the playoffs as the eighth seed?
The reality is, there is only one playoff spot up for grabs.
Do the Panthers even want it?
Some nights, it does not appear so.
Although they talk a good game before and after the fact, their performance on the ice has left a lot to be desired.
At some point, if the team’s consistent inconsistencies continue — the loss Sunday insured Florida still has yet to win three consecutive games this season — general manager Bill Zito is going to have to wave the white flag and start trading some of the few assets the team has.
When it comes to rumors surrounding the Panthers being sellers at the deadline or ‘retooling’ Zito may not do much more than find new homes for his pending free agents and pick up pieces while also giving veterans such as Eric Staal a chance to win somewhere else.
The Panthers figured this was going to be a bit of a transition year as they came out of the draft and into free agency without the cap space to do anything really significant.
That is one reason why the team moved on from Andrew Brunette in June and hired coach Paul Maurice to change things up.
Then came the unexpected availability of Matthew Tkachuk which cost the Panthers two key players in Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar — but that move was made with the future in mind and not necessarily this season.
That blockbuster trade — which is working out just fine — also put the Panthers in a ‘we’ll have to figure it out this season’ mode as they felt they had to get Tkachuk for the years ahead.
The Panthers and their front office continue working with the belief there is an extended window for this core group to be a contender regardless of what happens this season.
Of course, there are some concerning things which have emanated from the first 41 this season which could force some changes.
The loss on Sunday sort of encapsulated the Panthers’ first half all in one game, right?
Florida’s big stars — save for Tkachuk, who had a couple of chances — were completely overshadowed by those from Dallas.
Sasha Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell and others have underperformed this season as the systems Maurice has been trying to implement have not caught on.
The team looks stuck in the mud at times.
In some games — like Sunday — they were nowhere to be seen especially after the Stars took a 3-1 lead in the second period.
And over-performances from the likes of Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe have not been enough to cover the tab.
Coming into the season, Florida’s defense was its obvious weakness and despite some solid play at times from different players like Radko Gudas, Marc Staal, Gus Forsling, Brandon Montour and waiver-pickup Josh Mahura, that has not changed.
Then there is the goaltending.
Neither goalie, whether it is Sergei Bobrovsky or Spencer Knight, have been good enough on a nightly basis. Some nights, they have been terrific.
Overall, however, both have been average at best.
Some of that blame falls on the defense in front of them. One reason why the Panthers are not the high-flying, high-octane team they were is because their forwards need to play better defensive hockey to help out their goalies.
Some would rather Florida go back to winning games 6-5 as they did last year but everyone saw how that style of game played against the Lightning in the playoffs.
It almost did them in against the Capitals had Washington received better goaltending in the final games of that opening-round series.
Of course, some think the Panthers overreacted to a other-worldly playoff performance from Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Regardless, that was last year. Now, they have to try and salvage this one.
The Panthers have talent, but as was the case before the team took off in 2021, there is something missing.
The question is: Can the Panthers find it this season?
It may not be too late — even though it is starting to look like it.
PANTHERS ON DECK
FLORIDA PANTHERS AT COLORADO AVALANCHE
- When: Tuesday, 9:30 p.m.
- Where: Ball Arena, Denver
- TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
- Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
- Last season: Split 1-1
- All-time regular season series: Colorado leads 26-11-5, 3 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday at Vegas, 10 p.m.