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The Other 31: Florida Panthers

Our guest today is George Richards, publisher of Florida Hockey Now. After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, the Panthers missed the playoffs in 2025-26. Two consecutive deep playoff runs caught up to their roster, starting with captain Aleksander Barkov suffering a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee during the team’s first on-ice practice of training camp. A worn-out squad saw the injuries pile up during the 2025-26 season, causing the Panthers to finish in seventh place in the Atlantic Division with 84 points (14th in the Eastern Conference). Florida then made a huge splash in June by trading for Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, uniting him with his older brother Matthew. With Barkov healthy and recovered from knee surgery and the “New Bash Brothers” in Sunrise, will the Panthers return to the top of the mountain in 2026-27?

An ALLCITY Network Production