FHN Today: Old Friends Visit the Florida Panthers

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers will welcome Mason Marchment back to FLA Live Arena tonight when Pete DeBoer and the Dallas Stars come to town.

DeBoer has faced the Panthers a number of times since being fired by the team at the end of the 2010-11 season and this will be the eighth* different Florida coach he has faced.

As was the case when Bob Boughner was behind the Florida bench, it comes against a close friend.

Paul Maurice and DeBoer have been pals since they played junior hockey together and remain close to this day.

Dallas arrives with losses in three of its past four after a 4-0-1 start.

The Stars have struggled against Eastern Conference teams, going 3-3-2 including losses to the Lightning, Bruins, Maple Leafs and the Rangers.

“His team being in the West, they never do me any favors,” Maurice joked Wednesday. “The team I need them to beat, they don’t.”

The Panthers will not only honor Marchment with a video during the first period, but will celebrate Roberto Luongo being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The first 10,000 fans attending tonight’s game get a special Luongo mini-goalie stick commemorating his career.

(*) — The eight coaches of the Florida Panthers since Pete DeBoer: Kevin Dineen, Peter Horachek, Gerard Gallant, Tom Rowe, Bob Boughner, Joel Quenneville, Andrew Brunette, Paul Maurice.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW

A number of Panthers took Marchment out to dinner on Wednesday night but as former linemate Anton Lundell says, the friendships go out the window tonight when the two teams hit the ice.

— Nick Cousins got off to a slow start this season, something Maurice takes a little bit of the blame for. But he has two goals in his past three games — both being credited as game-winners. Yeah, he’s warming up.

— Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net tonight for the Panthers. The FHN Panthers Pregame will be coming a little later this afternoon with news and notes from what was a very optional skate.

— New stuff on the FHN YouTube Channel which you can go to RIGHT HERE or just click on the video below.

We have post-practice video from Maurice, Lundell and Sam Reinhart.

If you subscribe to the channel — which is free — you will be alerted whenever new content appears.

NATIONAL HOCKEY NOW

The Boston Bruins are off to a historic start and are building a nice little lead in the Atlantic Division.

Florida’s reign as division champs may be a short-lived.

— The Vegas Golden Knights have avoided injury so far this season.

— Would the Washington Capitals consider trading Connor McMichael?

— Cutter Gauther is lighting it up at Boston College, giving the Philadelphia Flyers offense hope for the future.

— Two underperforming teams square off Thursday when the Pittsburgh Penguins play the Minnesota Wild.

— Jacob Peterson did not make the Dallas Stars out of camp but is getting some good action with the AHL Texas Stars.

PANTHERS ON DECK

DALLAS STARS AT FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; 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: Florida leads 24-19-2, 3 ties