Two Panthers in danger of regression in 2024-25 season

The Florida Panthers are still reveling in their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, secured after a thrilling seven-game series victory over the Edmonton Oilers earlier this spring.

After postseason series wins against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers, the Panthers took a commanding 3-0 lead over the Oilers and seemed poised for the first Cup Final sweep since 1998. However, the Oilers staged a remarkable comeback, tying the series at three games apiece and forcing a winner-takes-all Game 7 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

In a nail-biting finish, Florida edged out a 2-1 victory, with the game coming down to the final seconds, sparking a celebration in the Sunshine State that has lasted all summer. And now for the first time, the Panthers will enter a season as the defending Stanley Cup champions – but their quest for a repeat will be significantly hampered thanks to the multiple departures of key players from their team.

Can the remaining talent on the Panthers lead them not only back to the postseason but also to a potential second consecutive title? It will be a challenge, especially with the possibility that several players may regress from their performance last season.

Will Sam Reinhart continue to give opposition goaltenders neck sunburn?

Forward Sam Reinhart has been one of the more consistent offensive producers for the Panthers since his acquisition from the Buffalo Sabres in 2021, and had a true breakout campaign in 2023-24 with an astonishing 57 goals. It also coincided with his needing a new contract, as he hit the open market on the first day of July this summer.

The good news for the Panthers is that they were able to re-sign Reinhart to a hefty eight-year, $69 million contract that keeps him a member of the team through the 2031-32 NHL season, something that Panthers executive Bill Zito was set on accomplishing via Jordan McPherson of The Miami Herald:

“Since coming to South Florida, Sam has demonstrated his ability to be a powerful scoring threat while maintaining strong defensive play,” Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito said in a press release announcing the extension. “His versatility and value as a player are only outshined by his premier personality and work ethic, and we are pleased to have him continue on with our group.”

Reinhart nearly doubled his goal total to 64 in the 2023-24 season compared to the previous two seasons combined, but it’s worth noting that it was a contract year. As a matter of fact, Reinhart was listed by ESPN as one of the top candidates in the NHL today to take a step backward in terms of production moving forward:

“Buoyed by a completely unsustainable 24.5 shooting percentage — well above his previous career-best mark of 19.2 percent — Reinhart scored 57 goals (and 94 points) in 82 games last season,” they wrote. “The number placed him second in the NHL behind only Toronto’s Auston Matthews. With no choice but to pay up following his career year and a Stanley Cup championship, Florida inked Reinhart to an eight-year, $69 million deal following the season. Reinhart is an excellent player on one of the NHL’s best teams, but perhaps no player in the league is at greater risk of burning fantasy managers this coming fall. Don’t overpay on draft day.”

Will Sergei Bobrovsky continue his renaissance?

After several years with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he established himself as one of the NHL’s top goaltenders, Bobrovsky joined the Panthers in the 2019 offseason with a hefty contract that made him the highest-paid player at his position.

However, it wasn’t long before Bobrovsky’s contract was viewed as a significant burden, as his performance fell short of expectations. There was even talk of the Panthers potentially buying out the final years of his deal until he made a sudden resurgence in the 2023 postseason.

Although Bobrovsky began the 2023 postseason on the bench, he eventually replaced Alex Lyon in goal and led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final. Despite losing in the championship round, Bobrovsky had a stellar 2023-24 regular season, posting a 36-17-4 record, a 2.37 goals-against average, and six shutouts.

As you know, Bobrovsky hoisted the Stanley Cup alongside his teammates after their thrilling seven-game series victory over the Edmonton Oilers earlier this spring. But at 35 years of age, can Bobrovsky maintain his strong play, especially now that he’s reached the pinnacle of his career? Father Time is undefeated, and as the Panthers begin their Cup defense in the highly competitive Atlantic Division, Bobrovsky may see his stats start to decline.

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