Can the Florida Panthers Win Their First Stanley Cup?
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After losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final last year, it does seem that the Florida Panthers are gearing up for a deeper push this year once more. But can they avenge that loss and finally win the Stanley Cup to cap off a wonderful run this season?
Considering how the Playoffs are rapidly coming for the Panthers, it does seem that the team has already entered their postseason form now more than ever. But with the season just a few months away from the Playoff action, we have to understand that the Panthers are grinding their way to the top, now more than ever. But what are their chances of winning this time?
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What Happened to the Panthers in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final?
This trip in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final was the second appearance for the Panthers overall. The last time they made it to this point? A four-game sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche, who are also potential contenders for the Stanley Cup this season. However, it was the lack of resilience on the defensive end that torched the Panthers’ chances of winning that time, and it proved to be a nuisance all the way to the final.
The Panthers managed to end the regular season with a 42-32-8 record, and started the postseason as the eighth seed while also having the lowest point total at 92. They went on to pull off a strong upset against the Boston Bruins in a Game 7 victory. The Panthers would then go on to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in five, and the Carolina Hurricanes in a sweep to reach the Final.
However, many critics claimed that the Panthers got lucky in that winning stretch. And true enough, they weren’t ready for the high level of action that was seeping from the other side, and the Vegas Golden Knights were that big challenge that they didn’t have a chance to get ready for. The first two games were hammered by the Golden Knights, winning both games by a huge margin. The only win for the Panthers that time was just a mere 3-2 victory at home that needed overtime to finish. Then a close Game Four, and then the Golden Knights wrapped things up at home in a 9-3 victory. That was much of a big statement game that allowed them to close out the title for good, and it stung for the Panthers on the other end.
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What are the Expectations for the Panthers this Season?
Learning from their previous mistakes in the 2023 campaign, the eighth-seed Panthers went on to make a huge leap. They are now the top seed in the Eastern Conference and also hold the best record in the NHL at 42-16-4 as of the time of writing. It is a no-brainer that they are now coming in as the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, even with all that competition around their midst.
For what it is worth, it does seem that they have improved their odds when playing on the road, which has seen a better stretch of their games this season. On top of that, they now have a difference of +59 in the season, leading the league in that category as well. It has been a huge shift for the Panthers moving forward into the key games that they are playing, and each highlight has shown just how well the team is doing right now compared to their strides in the previous campaign.
This playoff team in Florida is showing a lot of potential now more than ever. From being a lowly team in the past few years, and now contending to the next level after that surprising run in the Stanley Cup Final.
This year’s just showing how well they have improved compared to the previous campaign. For starters, the Panthers are leading the league in points percentage at .705 and the defensive side at 2.36 goals against per game.
Will Tkachuk Step Up His Game With the Panthers?
The Florida Panthers have always relied on Matthew Tkachuk to help them win their games in the previous playoff campaign. So far, he is having a big run this year with his impressive strides on both ends of the floor, contributing well to the overall success of the Panthers wherever he is needed. This season has seen him tally a total of 68 points off 21 goals and 47 assists as of the time of writing, which says a lot about his great form heading into the closing stretch of the NHL season.
In the previous season, Tkachuk tallied 109 points, with a whopping total of 40 goals and 69 assists. The forward also scored 24 points in the postseason, coming up with 11 goals and 13 assists in 20 games before their playoff push ended at the hands of the Golden Knights. Suffice to say, this year is about bringing Tkachuk’s game to the next level, and he’s ready to unleash the playoff version of him that is waiting to get that Stanley Cup at his side now more than ever.
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Cat Scratch Fever: What Are the Odds for the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup?
The Stanley Cup spares no one from the intense and demanding battles on the ice. The playoffs will always see the best showdowns on the rink and even the shocking upsets on the big stage, and the Panthers are not exempted from that. However, if there’s something that we have learned from their growth this season, it is that they are no longer afraid to go out and take what is theirs by right.
Even with all the challenging twists and turns that the season has seen, no one has definitely expected to see the Panthers be this good. They aren’t exactly holding back this time, and their stretch in 2024 has already seen them jump to +30 wins from being 16-4-2 at the top of the East. It just goes without saying that it is really hard to find a playoff-ready team that is also complete from all sides.
Who knows, maybe the Panthers can finally come up with a huge difference in their campaign this year and wrap it up with a promising victory by the end of the season. Stay tuned with GambleSpot as we come up with promising predictions and blogs about the NHL and the rest of the sports world!
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