The Florida Panthers were one of the most impressive stories in last spring's Stanley Cup Playoffs. It took them until the final days of the season to clinch a spot in the postseason, and they went into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Despite that lowly status, the Panthers proved more than ready for the battle. They delivered a shocking upset of the record-setting Boston Bruins in the first round, eliminating the favorites with an overtime goal in Game 7.

They followed that with triumphs over the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes, and their run did not end until they met the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.

Players like Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour keyed the long run for the feisty Panthers, but it came at a significant price. Both players suffered shoulder injuries along the way, and once the Stanley Cup was handed out, both players underwent surgery.

Florida general manager Bill Zito reported that both men are on track in their recovery from going under the knife. As a result, both players are continuing to rehab and should be ready to rejoin their team in 1-2 months.

That does not mean either Ekblad or Montour will be ready to start the season with the Panthers in early October. However, if there are no setbacks from this point forward, they could be back on the ice in November or December.

The Panthers made the most of their playoff opportunity last season, and if Ekblad and Montour are ready to compete early in the season, they could have another memorable year in 2023-24.