NHL Off-Season Rankings: No. 4, Florida Panthers

As part of TheHockeyNews.com's current series ranking the off-seasons of every NHL team, we're focusing today's article on team No. 4 – the Florida Panthers. After winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, the Florida Panthers showed they were mortal this past season, missing the playoffs altogether and finishing in seventh place in the Atlantic Division. But nothing essential has changed in regard to Florida’s competitive window. The Panthers are still very much in win-now mode, and GM Bill Zito has shown his intent of competing for another championship in 2026-27.Criteria for these rankings includes roster arrivals and departures, GM-and/or-coaching changes, promotions and contract-extensions. As you’ll see, while there is a certain amount of risk in some of the Panthers’ moves, Zito has taken advantage of a star player engineering his way to Florida. While there has been some significant turnover, the Panthers will start training camp (almost) at full strength after an injury-plagued season. Let’s examine the ways the Panthers have improved, and project where they’ll be at the end of the ‘26-27 campaign.Arrivals: Brady Tkachuk (LW), Jacob Markstrom (G), Akira Schmid (G), Garnet Hathaway (RW), Radko Gudas (D), Sam Lafferty (C), Lars Eller (C)For a long time when Brady Tkachuk spoke about his future as a member of the Ottawa Senators, the winger relentlessly said he was in it for the long haul. But something changed this summer, and Tkachuk was traded because he did, in fact, want out. Zito paid a large price to acquire him, giving up three first-round picks and a second-rounder, but Florida ultimately got the best player in the deal.Adding Brady to play alongside brother Matthew Tkachuk gives the Panthers two stars in their prime. Both players are under contract for at least the next two seasons, and Brady's addition more than makes up for any grit and grind the Panthers will lose while Brad Marchand is out of the lineup.While Tkachuk is the marquee name acquired this off-season, the more consequential addition is Markstrom, who was traded from the New Jersey Devils to ostensibly replace star netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. Zito completely cleaned out his goalie tandem, also parting ways with Daniil Tarasov and replacing him with former Vegas Golden Knight Akira Schmid. If Markstrom is injured at any point, handing the reins to Schmid may be something that sinks Florida’s Cup aspirations.The Panthers also added depth and experience in the form of defenseman Radko Gudas, who is back for his second stint with the team, along with Garnet Hathaway, Lars Eller, and Sam Lafferty. (back for his second stint with the team) and forwards Hathaway, Eller and Lafferty. While those depth additions will round out this stacked Panthers roster, Markstrom and Tkachuk are the standout candidates who have the potential to notably improve Florida’s results right out of the gate.Departures: Mackie Samoskevich (RW), Sergei Bobrovsky (G), A.J. Greer (LW), Evan Rodrigues (LW), Daniil Tarasov (G), Jesper Boqvist (C), Noah Gregor (LW), Vinnie Hinostroza (RW)To make room for Brady Tkachuk’s $8.2-million salary, Zito had to throw some bodies overboard. Those casualties came in the form of bottom-six group forwards Mackie Samoskevich, A.J. Greer and Evan Rodrigues. Aside from that, Zito’s decision to let Sergei Bobrovsky walk in free agency to an Atlantic rival in the Toronto Maple Leafs is a strategic decision that could blow up in the Panthers’ face.There’s no question that Florida is churning-and-burning through their secondary players. That’s something most, if not all teams are forced to do in the salary cap era. It’s virtually impossible to stand pat and bring back exactly the same lineup, and Zito understands there’s inevitably going to be turnover at one part of the roster or another.Other than Bobrovsky, there’s no now-former Panthers player who is likely to be a difference-maker in a way they weren’t able to in Florida. The Panthers’ core of talent has been added to, and if they can get meaningful contributions from fringe players, a playoff berth is going to be easily within Florida’s grasp.The Bottom Line: With due respect to the Central Division, the Atlantic might contain the most competitive group of teams in the league. Running it back again with the same group didn't make sense for the Panthers after the improvements made around the division, and Zito went out and took a few huge swings by acquiring Tkachuk and Markstrom.So long as Markstrom and the rest of the Panthers don’t get attacked by the injury bug the way they were last year, they have the high-end talent to not only assure themselves of a post-season appearance, but a lengthy playoff run as well. Florida now has terrific amounts of jam and juice, and they're going to drive opponents nuts with their corrosive style of play under coach Paul Maurice. Most Panthers players have nothing to prove, but there are a handful of new acquisitions that will be under the microscope. That pressure could impact them negatively, but there's no question that Zito’s team-building skills have put the Panthers in a place where they’re legitimate contenders to win their third championship.For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.