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The Florida Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions in 2024-25. The Panthers won their first Stanley Cup over the Edmonton Oilers back in June. It was one of the greatest Stanley Cup Final matchups fans have seen in recent memory. It also brought Florida firmly out of “Cinderella” status, cementing them as a powerhouse in the NHL.
Every team in the league is gunning to do what Florida did half a year ago. They want to raise the Stanley Cup above their heads to end the season. Unfortunately, only one team has the luxury of doing so. And the Panthers are on track to challenge for hockey's ultimate prize once again this spring.
Florida has a talented roster even after suffering key losses in NHL Free Agency last summer. Brandon Montour signed with the Seattle Kraken, Oliver Ekman-Larsson headed to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vladimir Tarasenko signed with the Detroit Red Wings. The Panthers have one well to continue contending despite the losses. However, they can certainly use more.
Florida does not have a ton of issues with their roster as currently constructed. It's a testament to general manager Bill Zito's roster-building strategy. In saying this, there is a major flaw with the team. And it's a flaw that could sink them in the Stanley Cup Playoffs if it is not addressed by the March 7th NHL Trade Deadline.
Panthers need to add depth on the bluline
As mentioned, the Panthers suffered some key losses in NHL Free Agency last summer. The majority of those losses came on the blueline. They lost three notable defensemen in free agency: Montour, Ekman-Larsson, and Josh Mahura. This amounts to one half of a team's defensive makeup.
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The Panthers, by nature of their Stanley Cup success, did not have the cap space to make a massive splash. So the team went bargain hunting and added some veteran defenders on cheap deals. The Panthers retained Dmitry Kulikov on a four-year contract while adding Adam Boqvist and Nate Schmidt on deals paying around the league minimum.
Unfortunately, these moves have not worked out. The team's defensive depth is not nearly as strong as it was last season. This is certainly expected after all of the losses on the blueline over the summer. Still, the Panthers certainly did not expect this much of a drop-off.
Things reached the point where Florida made a move. The Panthers placed Boqvist on waivers as the 24-year-old had not played since January 6th. Boqvist ended up finding a new home, though. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders, who have sought defensive reinforcements since Noah Dobson went down with injury.
The Panthers are likely to examine the trade market as the March 7th deadline comes closer. The Panthers could even bring Mahura back ahead of the deadline given that he is a candidate to be traded this winter. If not Mahura, there are a number of depth options the team can look at as they try to load up as best they can before the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers are going to be a tough out in the Stanley Cup Playoffs no matter what. However, they have a glaring roster flaw other teams could exploit. If it isn't fixed, we could see a new Stanley Cup champion when the trophy is lifted in late June.
