SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers’ Game 5 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center has now put the team in historic territory.
After years of head coach changes, a 26-year playoff series drought, and even logo adjustments, the Paul Maurice-led Panthers will represent the Eastern Conference for a third straight season, as they open their Stanley Cup Final rematch against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
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Looking to crown themselves Stanley Cup champions for a second straight June, the Panthers walked out of Raleigh as the first team since the NHL expanded to an 82-game season in 1995-96 to reach the Stanley Cup Final three years in a row.
All of the credit not only goes to Maurice, but president of hockey operations/general manager Bill Zito, who replaced interim head coach Andrew Brunette with Maurice after the Panthers were swept in their second-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Later on, the Panthers dealt Jonathan Huberdeau, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, a first-round pick, and prospect Cole Schwindt to the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Matthew Tkachuk and a mid-round draft pick.
At the time, the trade puzzled many, but three years later, it’s safe to say that Tkachuk has found great success in Florida.
The Panthers were heavy underdogs against the Boston Bruins in the first round in what was Maurice’s first playoff series as the bench boss.
That, however, didn’t matter, as the Panthers stunned the Bruins by taking Game 7 thanks to an overtime goal from Carter Verhaeghe – a player who has delivered in the clutch several times throughout all three playoff runs.
Despite a five-game loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, Maurice and Zito knew the Panthers’ window to having long-term success remained wide open.
Management brought in key pieces the following season, including Steven Lorentz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov, who began his career in Florida, Niko Mikkola, Kevin Stenlund, Evan Rodrigues, and Jonah Gadjovich, while also getting veterans Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo at the trade deadline.
Depth is a word that has been flying around the building since Maurice took over, and it was on full display – along with excellent goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky – that guided the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup.
Like the other 31 teams, the Panthers dealt with their share of injuries this season, but that didn’t stop them from finishing near the top of the Atlantic Division again.
In great position to make another deep postseason run, Zito stunned the hockey universe by acquiring former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand, who has scored four goals this postseason, while making his presence felt all over the rink, too.
When you talk about dynasties in sports, teams like the 1996-1998 Chicago Bulls, 2000-2002 Los Angeles Lakers, 2011-2014 Miami Heat, 2015-2019 Golden State Warriors, 2017-2019 New England Patriots, 2020-2022 Tampa Bay Lightning, and Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs from 2023-2025 come to one’s mind.
If the Panthers get it done again, it will be time to include them in that conversation.
