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The Florida Panthers’ grit and resilience make them the fan favorite in the NHL playoffs
As we get down to the final four teams left in the NHL playoffs, one thing is true: we’re in for a vey different and very fun conference final. The Dallas Stars face off against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference, and in the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes face off with the Florida Panthers.
AKA, “America’s Team”, the Florida Panthers.
Yes, the hockey team from Sunrise, FL is the team that America should be rooting for in these playoffs, the underdogs from the eight seed that find themselves on the cusp of their first Stanley Cup Final since 1996. Keep in mind, however, this is not your normal No. 8 seed.
Last year, the Panthers won the President’s Trophy as the NHL team with the best record in hockey, yet were ousted in the second round of the playoffs. The team that was supposed to be all in for last year, now finds themselves four wins away from a spot in the Stanley Cup Final, after beating the team with the best regular season record in NHL history in the Boston Bruins… in the first round.
This Panthers team wasn’t supposed to be here. They needed losses by the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins to even clinch the last playoff spot. An up and down season rife with injury and inconsistent play saw this team barely make it into the playoffs, but many pundits agreed that they could be dangerous if they made it in. A lot of that is due to the steadiness of their captain, Aleksander Barkov. Drafted in 2013, Barkov has become the face of the Panthers, and his loyalty to the team is the engine behind everything.
In addition, the Panthers made crucial trades to keep their window open, and even if things go wrong during the regular season, if they make the playoffs these players could be dangerous. Last summer, the Panthers traded for wing Matthew Tkachuk, sending a then-franchise cornerstone in Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman Mackenzie Weegar to the Flames for Tkachuk. It was considered a risky trade at the time. Tkachuk has been phenomenal in his first year, becoming a finalist for the Hart Trophy. The toughness he brought to the Panthers is evident, and if they muck up games enough, one of their stars can score at any time.
The Panthers’ greatest strength is their offense. According to The Athletic, Florida is one of the top teams in the league in creating chances and scoring in five-on-five situations. Tkachuk is fifth in playoff points during this run with 16, and Carter Verhaeghe is behind him with 12 points. They can score in multiple ways, which makes their games extremely exciting.
Their X-factor, however, might be the most important factor left in the playoffs, and a player who embodies the grit and resilience of the Panthers this year. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been inconsistent all regular season. Coming into the playoffs he was the backup goalie, but since being inserted in Game four against Boston, he’s been lights out. His save percentage has been .928, and the turnaround has been the engine behind the Panthers’ success. If he continues to play well, the Panthers could continue on their improbable run.
Resilience and grit aren’t just catchy buzzwords for the Panthers; they’re a way of life, and that resilience has led them to this point, making them easy to root for.
