Central Perk? Florida Panthers playoff contenders in new division

The Florida Panthers, along with every other team in the NHL, will be in a new division this season as they move from the Atlantic to the Central in 2021.

The new divisions were on full display when the NHL kicked off its season Wednesday night including one in the new Central as Tampa Bay throttled Chicago 5-1.

Florida opens its season Sunday night at 7 against those same Blackhawks (FSF, 560-AM).

It will be the first of eight meetings against Chicago as the teams in the Central will play each other eight times this season.

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Teams will definitely get to know one another this year — and perhaps some new rivalries will be born from the many games played.

Florida and Columbus, for instance, played some fun games last season after Sergei Bobrovsky left the Jackets to sign with the Panthers. Now, there are three former Columbus players with Florida not including those in the front office.