The 2026 Winter Olympics have wrapped up, and the Florida Panthers have plenty to celebrate. Seven of their ten players who participated are coming back with some well-earned hardware.
Matthew Tkachuk led the charge with a gold medal for Team USA. Meanwhile, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Sam Reinhart helped Canada secure silver.
The Finnish trio of Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, and Niko Mikkola rounded out the medal haul with bronze. Kudos also go to Uvis Balinskis, Gustav Forsling, and Sandis Vilmanis for their solid performances in Milan.
Now, the focus shifts back to the NHL as the Panthers gear up for a crucial back-to-back series against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres at Amerant Bank Arena starting Thursday. Sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, the Panthers face an uphill battle, trailing eight points behind a playoff spot.
With 25 games left, including 15 on the road, they'll likely need to notch 19 or 20 wins to keep their postseason hopes alive. It's a tall order, but not impossible.
On the prospect front, Stepan Gorbunov, a 2024 sixth-round pick, had a quiet outing in the KHL. In Traktor Chelyabinsk’s 4-2 victory over Lada, Gorbunov didn't register a point or a shot on goal, and he took just one faceoff.
This marked his 24th KHL appearance of the season, with two goals to his name at this level. Gorbunov has also been making his mark in the VHL, tallying eight goals and 11 assists over 20 games for Chelmet.