George Richards, FHN Publisher
The Florida Panthers will look a little different when the new season starts in October.
As will every other team in the NHL.
The Panthers head into the new season the defending Stanley Cup champions and it will be a challenge to get back to the heights they reached a few weeks ago.
Florida has won the Atlantic Division twice in the past three years, and, according to the oddsmakers are favorites to make that three in four.
Four teams from the Atlantic made the playoffs last season and, despite all the changes, those four are favorites to do so again.
How do the Panthers stack up with Boston, Toronto, and Tampa Bay two weeks into free agency?
Pretty well.
Today, we take a look at the four playoff teams from the Atlantic Division and how they look heading into the new season.
The other four teams in the division also made changes, but they will have a long road to make it into the playoffs.
We will look at them later this week.
Here is what the top of the Atlantic looks like right now:
1. Florida Panthers (1st place in 2023-24, Stanley Cup champions)
The Panthers took a hit following their Stanley Cup win, but that was not unexpected.
As we pointed out on Monday, Florida was going to lose key pieces to their team whether it won the Cup or not.
Even with a boost in the salary cap for the first time since the pandemic, the Panthers simply could not offer the kind of contracts players like Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan Lomberg, Kevin Stenlund, and Anthony Stolarz got elsewhere.
No doubt about it, those losses are going to hurt.
Florida lost two of its top defensemen, its entire fourth line, and perhaps the best backup goalie in the game.
That said, the Panthers pretty much kept their top three lines intact and, despite limited funds, general manager Bill Zito found what appear to be very suitable replacements.
Spencer Knight is expected to replace Stolarz behind Sergei Bobrovsky.
Players such as Tomas Nosek, A.J. Greer, and Jesper Boqvist will help fill the fourth line along with Jonah Gadjovich, Will Lockwood, Rasmus Asplund, and Justin Sourdif.
On the blueline, Nate Schmidt and Adam Boqvist should fit right in with Uvis Balinskis right in the mix.
The problem with Florida, at least early on, could be its pace of play.
The Panthers have played over 200 games in the past two years and that is some serious mileage.
Not to mention the Cup Final hangover the Panthers avoided after last year’s loss to Vegas could be a real thing this time around.
The party has not showed any signs of slowing down this summer.
The Panthers may not win the Atlantic again this year — this is a bet we would stay away from, actually — but know just making the playoffs is fine and dandy as long as they are healthy going into it.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning (4th in 2023-24, lost to Florida in first round)
This biggest change in the division came in Tampa when captain Steven Stamkos left after 16 seasons with the Lightning to sign as a free agent in Nashville.
The Lightning also moved defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Utah.
Anthony Duclair (Islanders) and Matt Dumba (Dallas) are also out.
So, why the love for the Lightning?
Well, Tampa Bay also made some pretty big additions.
Like Florida signing Sam Reinhart to a big deal, the Lightning signed Victor Hedman for four more years.
Jake Guentzel is the obvious big get for the Lightning as he should bringing some, ahem, electricity to Tampa.
Ryan McDonagh returned after a couple years away, and the Lightning also acquired J.J. Moser.
Tampa Bay looks different, no doubt, but it showed late last season that these old bones could still bring it.
Florida handled the Lightning in the opening round, so, changes needed to be made.
Perhaps for the better.
3. Boston Bruins (2nd in 2023-24, lost to Florida in second round)
The Bruins appeared to have the top spot in the Atlantic Division sewn up until the final couple days of the regular season when it surprisingly lost their final two games and let the Panthers take over.
Boston avoided a first-round matchup with Tampa Bay — only to get the Panthers in Round 2.
The Bruins made some changes adding Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Max Jones.
Boston also saw some familiar names head out, most notably goalie Linus Ullmark (traded to Ottawa), Jake DeBrusk (Vancouver), Danton Heinen (Vancouver), Pat Maroon (Chicago), Matt Grzelcyk (Pittsburgh), Derek Forbort (Vancouver), and Jesper Boqvist (Florida).
Boston got better in some places, lost a little of its identity in others. Sounds sort of familiar.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (3rd in Atlantic, lost to Bruins in first round)
Two of Florida’s biggest losses on July 1 went to the Maple Leafs: Ekman-Larsson got four years and Stolarz got two.
Scoring goals has not been a problem in Toronto, so, the Maple Leafs naturally looked at improving their defense.
OEL and Stolarz should help in that regard; adding Chris Tanev certainly should.
Tyler Bertuzzi is off to Chicago.
The Maple Leafs do not look very deep and they do not have much room under the salary cap.
It would not be a surprise to see Toronto rise up to win the division if everything goes right — and it would not be shocking to see them fall out of the playoffs if it does not.
Up Next: The Atlantic Division’s Playoff Challengers