The Florida Panthers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in their history with a 4-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday.
The Panthers are seeking their first title after getting swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the 1996 Cup Final in their only other appearance.
Two players who have played at least one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Florida this season have won the Stanley Cup: forwards Eric Staal with the Hurricanes in 2006, and Carter Verhaeghe with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020.
Of the 23 Panthers players to play at least one postseason game, 11 were signed in free agency, six were acquired via trade, three were selected by Florida in the NHL Draft, and three were claimed off waivers.
Here's how the roster of this Stanley Cup finalist was built, with background on the coaching staff and general manager:
FORWARDS
Aleksander Barkov, C: Selected in the first round (No. 2) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Barkov had 78 points (23 goals, 55 assists) in 68 regular-season games and has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 16 playoff games. He has been captain for the past five seasons.
Sam Bennett, C: Acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on April 21, 2021 with a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft for forward prospect Emil Heineman and a second-round pick in 2022, Bennett had 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 63 regular-season games and has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 15 playoff games.
Nick Cousins, C:Signed as a free agent on July 13, 2022, Cousins had 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) in 79 regular-season games and has six points (two goals, four assists) in 16 playoff games.
Zac Dalpe, C:Signed as a free agent on July 30, 2021, Dalpe had four points (two goals, two assists) in 14 regular-season games and has one goal in nine playoff games.
Anthony Duclair, LW:Signed as a free agent on Dec. 17, 2020, Duclair had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 20 regular-season games and has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 15 playoff games.
Ryan Lomberg, LW: Signed as a free agent on Oct. 9, 2020, Lomberg had 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 82 regular-season games and has one goal in eight playoff games.
Anton Lundell, C:Selected in the first round (No. 12) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Lundell had 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 73 regular-season games and has seven points (one goal, six assists) in 16 playoff games.
Eetu Luostarinen, C: Acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 23, 2020 with defenseman Chase Priskie, and forwards Erik Haula and Lucas Wallmark for forward Vincent Trocheck, Luostarinen had an NHL career-high 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) in 82 regular-season games and has five points (two goals, three assists) in 16 playoff games.
Sam Reinhart, C:Acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on July 24, 2021 for goalie Devon Levi and a first-round pick in the 2022 draft, Reinhart had 67 points (31 goals, 36 assists) in 82 regular-season games and has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 16 playoff games.
Givani Smith, RW: Acquired from the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 19, 2022 as part of a three-team trade with the Panthers sending defenseman Michael Del Zotto to the Anaheim Ducks, Smith had four points (one goal, three assists) in 34 regular-season games after the trade and does not have a point in one playoff game.
Eric Staal, C: Signed as a free agent Oct. 21, 2022, Staal had 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 72 regular-season games and has three points (one goal, two assists) in 16 playoff games.
Matthew Tkachuk, LW: Acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on July 22, 2022 with a 2025 fourth-round draft pick for forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Video: CAR@FLA, Gm3: Reinhart turns and fires home a PPG, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and a first-round pick in the 2025 draft, Tkachuk had an NHL career-high 109 points (40 goals, 69 assists) in 79 regular-season games and leads the Panthers with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 16 playoff games, including four game-winners (three in overtime).
Carter Verhaeghe, C:Signed as a free agent on Oct. 9, 2020, Verhaeghe had an NHL career-high 73 points (42 goals, 31 assists) in 81 regular-season games and has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 16 playoff games.
Colin White, C:Signed as a free agent on July 13, 2022, White had 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 68 regular-season games and has two assists in 16 playoff games.
DEFENSEMEN
Aaron Ekblad: Selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Ekblad had 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 71 regular-season games and has six points (one goal, five assists) in 15 playoff games.
Casey Fitzgerald: Claimed off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres on Jan 11, 2023, Fitzgerald had no points in four regular-season games and does not have a point in one playoff game.
Gustav Forsling: Claimed off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 9, 2021, Forsling had 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 82 regular-season games and has six points (two goals, four assists) in 16 playoff games.
Radko Gudas: Signed as a free agent on Oct. 9, 2020, Gudas had 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 72 regular-season games and has three assists in 16 playoff games.
Josh Mahura:Claimed off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 10, 2022, Mahura had 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 82 regular-season games and has two assists in 16 playoff games.
Brandon Montour:Acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on April 10, 2021 for a third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Montour had an NHL career-high 73 points (16 goals, 57 assists) in 80 regular-season games and has nine points (six goals, three assists) in 16 playoff games.
Marc Staal:Signed as a free agent on July 13, 2022, Staal had 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 82 regular-season games and no points in 16 playoff games.
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky: Signed as a free agent on July 1, 2019, Bobrovsky was 24-20-3 with a 3.07 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and one shutout in 50 regular-season games (49 starts) and is 11-2 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in 14 playoff games (13 starts).
Alex Lyon:Signed as a free agent on July 13, 2022, Lyon was 9-4-2 with a 2.89 GAA, .914 save percentage and one shutout in 15 regular-season games (14 starts) and is 1-2 with a 3.26 GAA and .902 save percentage in the playoffs.
COACHING STAFF
Paul Maurice, coach:Hired on June 22, 2022, Maurice previously coached the Winnipeg Jets for nine seasons from 2013-22. He also was coach of the Hartford Whalers (1995-97), Carolina Hurricanes (1997-2004, 2008-12) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (2006-08). Maurice ranks fourth in NHL history in games coached (1,767) and is sixth in wins (817).
Myles Fee, assistant:Hired on Aug. 10, 2022, Fee spent the previous three seasons as video coach of the Buffalo Sabres.
Jamie Kompon, assistant:Hired on Aug. 10, 2022, Kompon previously served as an assistant under Maurice with the Jets from 2016-22.
Sylvain Lefebvre, assistant:Hired on Aug. 10, 2022, Lefebvre previously spent three seasons as an assistant with San Diego of the American Hockey League from 2019-22.
Tuomo Ruutu, assistant: Hired on June 29, 2021, Ruutu previously was assistant director of player development for the New York Rangers from 2019-21.
Robb Tallas, goaltending coach:Hired prior to the 2009-10 season, Tallas has coached and trained goalies including Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo, Tomas Vokoun and Jose Theodore.
GENERAL MANAGER
Bill Zito: Hired as general manager on Sept. 2, 2020, replacing Dale Tallon, Zito has Video: CAR@FLA, Gm3: Reinhart turns and fires home a PPG in each of his three seasons with them, including a team-high 58 wins and 122 points in 2021-22 to win the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the best regular-season NHL record. He previously served as assistant GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2013-19 and vice president of hockey operations from 2019-20.
