The Florida Panthers are finally back on the ice, and the first week of the season comes with no easing in. The 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup champions open their latest chase for a title with a road test against the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday at Lenovo Center, then head west for games against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday and the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
For Matthew Tkachuk, the early message is simple.
"Make playoffs,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said of the team’s mindset as they prepare to embark on another long season. “You can't look too far ahead.
You have to have a good start. ... We've just talked about that you worry about just making playoffs and that's your only goal.
That's what we build our game for each year."
That opener in Raleigh carries some extra weight. Paul Maurice said the matchup gives his team an immediate read on where it stands, and he likes the fact that it comes against a familiar, high-end opponent.
“It's a known opponent for us,” head coach Paul Maurice said when asked about the benefits of opening the season with a true heavyweight matchup in Raleigh. “To be playing an Eastern Conference team, that helps you.
To be playing a former playoff opponent, that helps you. They just won the Stanley Cup, and they're going to get their banner raised, and rightfully so in their building.
It brings you back to a reminder of that juice.”
The Panthers’ road swing also gives the group a chance to keep building chemistry right away. Brady Tkachuk, Garnet Hathaway, Lars Eller, Boko Imama and Akira Schmid are all set for their first season in Florida, while Radko Gudas and Jacob Markstrom are beginning their second stint with the club after returning to South Florida.
Aleksander Barkov said the new faces have already blended in smoothly.
“I honestly feel like, even with these new guys, it feels like we've been together for a long time,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said of the team’s multiple additions. “I think it's a great spot to come in, and they blend in really well. Starting on the, on the road, you get to know them a little more.”
Maurice pointed to the team’s comfort away from home as another reason this trip can matter.
“We’re a team that has performed well on the road,” Maurice said. “We have some confidence there. Great for these guys to get together early and see each other.”
One newcomer who has already carved out a place is Boko Imama. He won the competition for a spot on the fourth line after a strong camp and three preseason games that showed both his edge and his ability to contribute.
"He's really fast,” Barkov said. “He's just a good, good guy to have on your team.
He's a funny guy, too. He works really hard.
He's always at the gym, like strongest guy I've seen. It's good to have that type of guy on your team.
It brings you that kind of safe feeling.”
Imama signed a one-year, two-way deal as a free agent, appeared in two games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, and played in 66 AHL games. The 30-year-old forward had a goal and dropped the gloves once in his three preseason outings with the Panthers. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, he brings both size and bite.
“He’s exactly what we want, a guy in that position right now,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “He’s had an amazing camp.
He's been an incredible guy. Again, another culture guy who's just fitting right in with Panther life.”
Against Carolina, Imama is expected to skate with Eller and Hathaway.
Fans who want to get in on the opening-night energy before the team returns home can do that Tuesday at Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park, where the Panthers will host their first official watch party of the season. The event starts 30 minutes before puck drop and is set up for fans to gather and take in the opener together.
For supporters watching from home or on the move, Panthers Plus is available in the team’s broadcast territory and includes Scripps Sports Panthers game broadcasts, the local pregame show for all national broadcasts, and the first round of the playoffs if the Panthers qualify. The Full Season Pass is priced at $69.99.
There’s also a Panthers Prize Pack promotion running through Nov. 17, 2026, with a chance to win a bundle of Panthers swag and a one-year subscription to Panthers Plus.
In Other News...
Panthers Suddenly Carry One Huge Opening Night Question
Florida spent the offseason making one of the biggest swings on the league calendar, adding Brady Tkachuk to a roster that already expects to live in the East playoff conversation. The move fits the Panthers win-now identity, but it also changes the way the club looks headed into 2026-27, especially with the core built to chase another deep run and every lineup decision carrying extra weight.
What makes the opening-night picture so intriguing is that the headline addition is not the only major change shaping this team. The Panthers also have to sort through a very different look in goal, and how they handle that position could matter as much as any forward-line combination when the season starts. It is the kind of question that can linger through training camp and into the first few weeks, giving Florida a little more uncertainty than fans are used to. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Roster Battle Just Got More Interesting Before Opening Night
The Panthers roster trim moved a step closer to the finish line as the club placed eight players on waivers and had all eight clear by the deadline. The expected next stop for that group is Charlotte, where Floridas AHL affiliate should get a deeper look at players who were on the bubble during camp and have now been pushed into the organizations day-to-day plans.
Nathan Bastians path took a different turn, though, giving the Panthers another layer to sort through before opening night. After arriving in camp on a professional tryout, he landed a two-way contract, a move that adds another forward option to the mix while leaving Florida with a little more to weigh as it settles the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Get A Huge Brady Tkachuk Boost Right Before Opening Night
Brady Tkachuks first Florida Panthers season is getting the kind of boost contenders love to have before the schedule even starts. After missing time in the preseason, the winger is set to suit up for the opener against the Carolina Hurricanes, and head coach Paul Maurice has already lined him up with Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart on the top line. Tkachuk also led the Panthers in preseason points, a reminder that his arrival has already given the roster a different look.
The timing matters because Florida is not easing into the year, and having Tkachuk available gives Maurice another layer of firepower right away. He is also slated to work on the top power-play unit with his brother Matthew Tkachuk, adding even more intrigue to the opening-night setup. For a team trying to set the tone early, getting that combination together right from the start is about as useful a development as the Panthers could have asked for. [Read more 🡒]