After more than two weeks away from home, the Florida Panthers are finally back in Sunrise-if only for a quick pit stop.
Fresh off a grueling six-game road trip, the Panthers return to FLA Live Arena on Monday night for a one-game home stand against the San Jose Sharks. Then it’s right back on the road for a three-game swing through the colder parts of the NHL map. But before they pack the winter coats again, the Cats have a golden opportunity to keep their momentum rolling.
Florida heads into Monday’s matchup sitting four points behind Buffalo for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and eight back of Montreal for third in the Atlantic Division. The good news? They’ve got two games in hand on both teams, which could prove critical as the playoff race tightens.
And there’s even more reason for optimism in South Florida: the Panthers are heating up at just the right time-and they’re doing it while shorthanded.
Despite missing key pieces, including star forwards Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk, Florida managed to win three of its last four games on the road. That’s the kind of stretch that can galvanize a group, especially when reinforcements are on the way.
Tkachuk, who has yet to suit up this season after undergoing offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia, has been skating with the team recently and appears to be inching closer to a return. Head coach Paul Maurice offered some encouraging updates on the winger’s progress.
“He’s close,” Maurice said. “He’s getting pushed hard on the ice. The recovery has been good-he hasn’t felt at 100%, but the last two days he pushed hard, he came back and felt good, so I don’t think he’s very far away right now.”
Marchand, meanwhile, has also been practicing, albeit in a gold non-contact jersey-a sign he’s not quite ready for game action but is trending in the right direction. Maurice noted that both players are nearing a return.
“I would say he’s fairly close, too,” Maurice said of Marchand. “Neither one of those guys should be out very much longer.”
That’s music to the ears of Panthers fans who’ve been waiting to see this team at full strength. Getting Tkachuk and Marchand back in the lineup would be a massive boost to a Florida squad that’s already finding ways to win without them.
A quick scheduling note: Monday’s puck drop has been moved up to 6 p.m. ET to accommodate fans who might also be tuning into a rather sizable football game happening just down the road later that evening. Smart move by the Panthers, making sure their fans don’t have to choose between two big-time matchups.
Here’s how the Panthers are expected to line up (with everyone healthy) against the Sharks:
Forward Lines:
- Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Sam Reinhart
- Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
- Mackie Samoskevich - Evan Rodrigues - Brad Marchand
- Jesper Boqvist - Luke Kunin - A.J. Greer
Defensive Pairings:
- Gus Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
- Niko Mikkola - Uvis Balinskis
- Tobias Bjornfot - Jeff Petry
The Panthers are finally getting a glimpse of what their lineup could look like when fully loaded, and with the playoff chase heating up, the timing couldn’t be better. Monday night’s tilt against San Jose is more than just a quick homecoming-it’s a chance to keep building momentum, integrate key players back into the mix, and set the tone for the stretch run.
This is a team that’s battled through adversity, found ways to win on the road, and now stands on the cusp of getting whole again. If they can stay healthy and keep this trajectory, the Cats could be a serious problem for the rest of the East.