NHL · Atlantic · Sunrise, Florida, US · Amerant Bank Arena
Hockey in the Everglades once sounded like a punchline, but the Panthers are having the last laugh - a franchise that endured decades of empty seats and existential doubt before roaring to life as Stanley Cup champions in the South Florida sun.
Updated March 21, 2026
The Panthers are attempting what no team has done since the 1980-83 Islanders: win three straight Stanley Cups. But they've been without captain Aleksander Barkov all season after he tore his ACL and MCL in the first practice of training camp. The fact that Florida remains competitive at all is a testament to this roster's depth and Paul Maurice's coaching.
Matthew Tkachuk missed the first three months of the season recovering from offseason adductor surgery but has been back in the lineup since January. His return has been crucial for a team that was trying to stay afloat without both of its biggest stars.
Florida sits 19th in the power rankings, a far cry from where you'd expect a two-time defending champion. Their odds have dropped to 11-1, behind Edmonton, Vegas, Carolina, Colorado, and Dallas. But the Panthers have proven before that regular-season seeding means nothing once the playoffs begin.