The ending was heartbreaking, but the journey was nothing short of incredible for the 2022-23 Florida Panthers. After losing Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday night, the Cats spoke about one of the most improbable playoff runs in NHL history.

“It's huge. There's no stopping now,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said, per ESPN's Ryan S. Clark. “There's no stopping here. A bump in the road, and it's going to sting. It stings now. But we'll find a way to come back next year and be stronger because of it.”

The Panthers were given absolutely no chance against the Boston Bruins, the NHL's best regular season team, but they made a miraculous comeback down 3-1 to defeat the Atlantic Division juggernauts.

Then, they were the underdog against against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team they dispatched in five games. And against the league's second-best team in the Carolina Hurricanes, at least in points percentage, Florida didn't lose a single game.

It wasn't until the Stanley Cup Final when the grind of the postseason, coupled with a powerhouse Vegas Golden Knights team, spelled the end. Still, it was nothing short of a phenomenal Stanley Cup Playoff run for the 2022-23 Florida Panthers.

“This year, we won three rounds,” goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said, who played out of his mind for most of it. “So, we're building. We are getting there, and we are excited. Next season, we're going to have another opportunity, and I am excited for that.”

Florida is expected to have 16 players under contract for next season, including the most important ones: Aleksander Barkov, Brandon Montour, Matthew Tkachuk, Bobrovsky and Ekblad.

There's a great chance the team can go on another run, but they'll have to make it to the dance first.

“We're going to have a hell of a time making the playoffs next year. That's a fact,” head caoch Paul Maurice said. “Because it's hard. There's good teams [that] miss. You come in feeling better about yourself because you played two months longer? You're in trouble.”

Although it ended in heartbreak and watching the Vegas Golden Knights hoist the franchise's first Stanley Cup on Tuesday night, there is belief in the Florida Panthers locker room that this team can reach the top of professional hockey against next year.