Just a few days ago, the Florida Panthers were right there-three points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, trending in the right direction and building momentum. But as quickly as things looked promising, the standings have shifted, and now Florida finds itself staring at an eight-point gap with just four games left before the Olympic break and 29 to go in the regular season.
In a loaded Atlantic Division, there’s little room for error. Tampa Bay, Detroit, and Buffalo currently hold the three automatic bids, while Montreal and Boston occupy the two wild card spots. That’s five teams from the Atlantic in playoff position-and the Panthers are on the outside looking in.
And when the teams ahead of you keep winning, every misstep gets magnified. Florida’s back-to-back losses this week have cost them dearly, erasing the ground they gained with a win in Chicago and dropping them five points in the standings in just a matter of days.
The problem? The teams they’re chasing aren’t slowing down.
Buffalo is on a tear, going 7-2-1 in their last 10. Boston’s been even better, with an 8-1-1 stretch.
Montreal may be a little more inconsistent at 5-4-1, but they’ve won two straight and are holding their ground. That’s the kind of form that makes it tough for a team like Florida to claw back into the mix.
According to MoneyPuck.com, the Panthers’ playoff odds sit at 41.9%. That’s not a death sentence, but it’s a significant drop-off from the teams they’re chasing. And everyone in that locker room knows what’s at stake.
“Urgency is high,” said forward Sam Reinhart. “You’re going to need these, and these next couple of games are as important as ever.
It’s disappointing right now to let some points slip away. There’s nothing else to say about it, really.”
There’s also no real break coming. While most teams will use the Olympic pause to rest and reset, the Panthers will be sending nine players to Italy to represent their countries. That’s a lot of talent-and a lot of wear and tear-heading into the home stretch of the season.
And when they return? It’s a sprint. Florida will be playing almost every other night the rest of the way.
The schedule doesn’t do them too many favors either. According to Tankathon.com, the Panthers have the 11th-toughest remaining schedule in the league, with their opponents carrying a combined winning percentage of .568. It’s not the worst, but it’s far from easy.
The good news? The teams they’re chasing-Boston (3rd-toughest schedule), Buffalo (4th), and Montreal (8th)-have it even harder.
And Florida will have direct chances to make up ground. They’ll face the Sabres and Bruins twice more, and the Canadiens once.
That stretch starts Monday against Buffalo, followed by a showdown with Boston on Wednesday. Then it’s off to Tampa on Thursday to close things out before the break.
There’s still time. Twenty-nine games is plenty of runway to make a push. But the margin for error is razor-thin, and the Panthers have to start stacking wins-fast.
A strong week against Buffalo and Boston? That could be the spark they need.
ON DECK: GAME 54
Winnipeg Jets at Florida Panthers
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
ET
Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL
TV: Scripps Sports - WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
Season Series: Panthers lead 1-0
Last Meeting: Panthers 2, Jets 1 (SO) - Jan.
22
All-Time Series: Jets/Thrashers lead 55-32-9, 5 ties
Up Next: Monday vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET