Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the Florida Panthers were finally starting to find their rhythm. After a rocky start on the road - where they dropped five of their first six games, including a lopsided 7-3 loss in Anaheim - the Cats showed real signs of life with solid performances in Los Angeles, San Jose, and Vegas. They only dropped the San Jose game, and even that came courtesy of a standout performance in net by Sharks prospect Yaroslav Askarov.
That road trip seemed like a turning point. The Panthers were heading back to Sunrise for a stretch where they’d play 10 of their next 11 games at home - and considering they were 5-1-1 at Amerant Bank Arena to that point, this was supposed to be the moment they made a serious push up the Eastern Conference standings.
And to start, they looked the part. Florida won three of their first four back at home, notching wins over Washington, Vancouver, and New Jersey, with only a loss to rival Tampa Bay interrupting the momentum.
But since then? The wheels have started to wobble - if not come off entirely.
The Panthers have now dropped three straight on home ice, and the frustration is starting to show.
“I think everyone wants to beat us, that’s always the case,” defenseman Gus Forsling said after the latest loss, referencing the target on their backs as back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. “They get one goal, and they get some energy… things like that happen in the games.”
Forsling’s point hits home. The Panthers haven’t just been losing - they’ve been losing in ways that sting. In back-to-back games against Philadelphia and Calgary, Florida jumped out to early 2-0 leads, only to watch those advantages disappear.
Against the Flyers, the game was tied in the final minute before Philadelphia struck twice late - not with an empty netter, but with two late daggers that sealed a 4-2 loss. Two nights later, the script flipped but the result stayed the same: Florida’s 2-0 lead against Calgary was gone by the end of the first period, and the Flames controlled the rest of the way en route to a 5-3 win, capped by an empty-net goal.
And then came the Edmonton game. The Panthers were chasing a one-goal deficit late, but never got a chance to mount a real push. The Oilers pounced as soon as Daniil Tarasov left the net, scoring two rapid-fire empty-netters that slammed the door shut.
“It’s a game of inches,” said forward A.J. Greer. “When we put ourselves in some bad positions - defensively or with mistakes we know we shouldn’t make - the other teams have been capitalizing.”
That’s been the theme of this homestand so far: costly mistakes, missed chances, and a team that hasn’t looked like the group that clawed its way through the postseason two years in a row.
Coming into this stretch, the idea was simple - bank points at home, build momentum, and climb the standings while waiting for some key injured players to return. Instead, they’ve stumbled, and the Eastern Conference race is starting to pull away.
Tampa Bay has opened up a four-point lead over Boston atop the Atlantic Division. Florida, now nine points back, sits ahead of only Toronto and Buffalo in the conference standings. The Panthers are still within striking distance of the second Wild Card spot - just four points back - but there’s a logjam of five teams between them and Pittsburgh, who currently holds that final playoff berth.
So where’s the hope?
Well, for starters, not everything has been doom and gloom. Sam Reinhart continues to produce at an elite level, and Brad Marchand has been doing what he does best - making plays and making opponents miserable. But perhaps more encouraging is the recent spark from some of Florida’s secondary scorers.
The newly formed line of Sam Bennett centering A.J. Greer and Carter Verhaeghe has started to click, with all three players finding their stride. If Bennett and Verhaeghe can rediscover the form that made them key contributors during Florida’s recent playoff runs, the Panthers’ offense could start looking a lot more dangerous.
And there’s still time to salvage this homestand. Four games remain, all in the next six nights, and two of them - against Toronto and Nashville - come against teams currently below Florida in the standings. The other two - Columbus and the Islanders - are right in that same Wild Card chase, making these head-to-head matchups crucial.
This week presents a real opportunity. Beat the teams around you.
Stop the bleeding. Get back to playing the kind of hockey that made Florida a postseason nightmare the last two years.
The pressure is on, but the path forward is clear.
Let’s see if the Cats can claw their way back.