The defending champs look poised to make noise once again in 2024-25.
In their annual preseason position rankings, the powers that be over at NHL Network heaped praise upon the Florida Panthers, placing five different players on their lists.
A testament to the team’s continued all-around depth, all four of the network’s lists – centers, wingers, defensemen and goaltenders – featured at least one Panther.
But should we get greedy?
Were there still some snubs from South Florida?
Check the players that were picked below and let us know your thoughts on social media.
Matthew Tkachuk
2nd on NHL Network’s “Top 20 Wings”
For the second straight season, Tkachuk secured the second spot among wingers.
After posting a career-high 109 points during his first season with the Panthers, the 26-year-old superstar followed that up with 88 points (26, 62) assists during the 2023-24 campaign.
Making his presence felt both on the scoresheet and in the corners every time he touched the ice, he was one of just two players in the NHL to surpass both 80 points and 150 hits.
Helping the Panthers capture their first-ever Stanley Cup, Tkachuk also finished tied for the team lead with 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 24 games during the team’s playoff run.
“He’s equal parts tough and talented,” NHL Network analyst Stu Grimson said.
Over his first two seasons with Florida, Tkachuk ranks eighth in the NHL with 197 points.
For the full list of wingers, click HERE.
Sam Reinhart
9th on NHL Network’s “Top 20 Wings”
Welcome to the rankings, Reinhart!
After being left off last year’s list despite a 31-goal campaign, the 28-year-old sniper climbed the ladder in a hurry up to the ninth spot thanks to a stellar 2023-24 season.
Setting the scoring sheet ablaze, Reinhart finished second in the NHL in goals (57) and first in power-play goals (27), which were both career-high marks. As good on the penalty kill as he was with the man advantage, he also racked up a career-high five shorthanded goals.
“Nothing surprises me anymore with him,” Tkachuk said. “He’s the real deal.”
Coming up in the clutch during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Reinhart scored the game-winning goal against the Oilers – his 10th goal of the playoffs – to lock in the historic 2-1 win.
In addition to winning the Cup and being named an All-Star last season, he also finished 12th in voting for the Hart Trophy and fourth in voting for the Selke Trophy.
For the full list of wingers, click HERE.
Aleksander Barkov
5th on NHL Network’s “Top 20 Centers”
After ranking ninth in 2022-23, Barkov moved up to fifth following another huge campaign.
Taking home his second-career Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward in the NHL, the captain led all Panthers forwards with a plus-33 rating and a career-high 57.3 faceoff win percentage. At 5-on-5, the Panthers had a 69.74% share of goals when he was deployed.
The 28-year-old also ranked second on Florida in assists (57), third in points (80) and power-play points (29), and fourth in goals (23). Becoming the first-ever Finn to captain a team to the Stanley Cup, he logged 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 24 playoff games.
In the Stanley Cup Final, Barkov tallied five points and won 60.4% of his faceoffs.
“He never chases the monster [offensive] numbers at the expense of the defensive end of the ice,” NHL Network analyst Mike Johnson said. “He’s a guy that just does whatever it takes to help his team win.”
For the full list of centers, click HERE.
Sergei Bobrovsky
7th on NHL Network’s “Top 10 Goalies”
Bobrovsky turned back the clock in 2023-24 to move into the seventh spot.
Seven seasons after winning his second Vezina Trophy, the 35-year-old veteran finished third in voting for the award last season after going 36-17-4 with a .915 save percentage.
He also had six shutouts, which were the third most in a single season in his career.
Putting the Panthers in a position to win nearly every single time he took his place between the pipes, Bobrovsky surrendered two or fewer goals in 32 of his starts. From Jan. 24 through March 7, he went 12 straight games without allowing more than two goals.
Going into brick-wall mode during the playoffs, Bobrovsky posted a 2.32 goals-against average and .906 save percentage while backstopping the Panthers to all 16 of their wins.
In Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton, he stopped 23 of 24 shots.
“He’s an intense worker,” said NHL Network analyst Cory Schneider. “He works his butt off. He cares. Watching him in that Game 7 [against the Oilers] was something to behold.”
Per MoneyPuck.com, Bobrovsky ranked sixth in the NHL with 15.6 goals saved above expected during the regular season, while also adding 7.0 more during the postseason.
For the full list of goalies, click HERE.
Gustav Forsling
6th on NHL Network’s “Top 20 Defensemen”
Take a bow, Gustav!
Once considered underrated, it’s safe to say that the smooth-skating defenseman is officially no longer excelling in the shadows after going from unranked to the sixth spot.
Of course, this should come as no surprise if you watched him play last season.
In addition to leading all Panthers defensemen in scoring with 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists), Forsling also paced the NHL in plus/minus with a staggering +56 rating – the best rating by a blueliner in the league since Vladimir Konstantinov had a +60 rating in 1995-96.
Florida also controlled 66.99% of all goals when he was on the ice at 5-on-5.
Not just shutting down opposing team’s top scorers during the playoffs, Forsling also racked up 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 24 games to help the Panthers capture their first-ever Stanley Cup, including scoring the series-winning goal against the Boston Bruins in Round 2.
Only 28 years old, he could stick on this list for a while.
“He does everything,” NHL Network analyst Jason Demers said. “His stick is so incredible.”
For the full list of defensemen, click HERE.
