The Florida Panthers made light work of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While Matthew Tkachuk’s presence was undeniably impactful for the Cats, it was Brad Marchand who emerged as the lynchpin of the roster in their pursuit of back-to-back NHL championships.

Hindsight is 20/20, but looking at the Florida Panthers‘ lineup, it never seemed reasonable to pick the Tampa Bay Lightning to prevail over their in-state rivals in the NHL’s Battle of Florida. After Matthew Tkachuk and company dismantled the Lightning, the league has been reminded not to sleep on the Panthers. No one is questioning the Brad Marchand trade anymore—the former Bruins captain has proven to be the final piece of the puzzle, the secret ingredient in Florida’s pursuit of a coveted back-to-back Stanley Cup championship.

The Cats steamrolled the Bolts, further underlining the scary growth spurt the franchise in Sunrise has undergone. Those dreaded nights of empty seats and lackluster performances on the ice are a long, fading memory. The Panthers are a juggernaut nowadays, and they aren’t looking back.

Marchand has been jeered every time he walked into Amerant Bank Arena with the Spoked B on his chest, but since Bill Zito traded for him, he’s become a fan favorite. It feels Marchand had been destined to play for the organization, but not any team, this particular roster.

Paul Maurice’s lineup is built for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the likes of Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, but they were missing something in order to chase back-to-back titles. Thus, when an opening presented itself to acquire Marchand, Zito and Florida had little to no second thoughts.

How many times will Zito’s bold roster moves be scrutinized thoroughly, until everybody in the NHL acknowledges the most impactful General Manager in the league. Zito has turned this franchise around. Trading for Seth Jones and Brad Marchand was just the cherry on top for the Panthers to officialy become favorites to the Stanley Cup.

Marchand is exactly what the locker room needed. Shortly after being traded to Florida and joining the team group chat, he came out swinging—firing off chirps at his new teammates, many of whom he’d battled fiercely in the past.

Marchand made it clear he wasn’t going to change a thing about his personality just because he was on a new team—and that was exactly what Maurice, Tkachuk, and the Panthers wanted to hear. It meant they were getting the veteran presence capable of leading them to back-to-back Cups.

No longer little brother

Last season’s 4-1 series win over the Lightning wasn’t luck, neither was this year’s victory over Tampa Bay in 5 games as well. The Panthers have evolved—the Lightning and the rest of the NHL would be wise to remember that.

The Panthers have now secured bragging rights to the Battle of Florida for the second time in as many years, erasing their 0-2 deficit in postseason series against the Bolts.

Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers looks on during Round Four of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 08, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Father Time has worked wonders for the Cats. Their arena, once considered a vacation stop where visiting teams could enjoy the Florida beaches by day and cruise to an easy win by night, is now one of the most intimidating venues in the league.

Third line takes over

After his trade to Florida, most fans expected to see Marchand on the second line, alongside Bennett and Tkachuk, forming a modern-day enforcing, wrecking-crew grouping. Instead, Maurice came up with an even better recipe.

Marchand plays on the third line alongside the young Finnish duo of Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell. In that role, the 36-year-old veteran resembles a father figure to the two extremely well-rounded, two-way forwards. Though labeled the third line, this unit can hold its own against any forward group in the NHL.

During the Tampa-Florida series, the third line became a grueling, painful headache for Jon Cooper and the Lightning. The trio has combined for 14 points in the first five games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with their defensive contribution being deeply appreciated as well.

Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers skates against the Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.

Dealing with absences

In addition to Marchand’s immediate impact, their physically imposing playstyle, and a star-studded lineup, the Panthers have also showcased remarkable resilience. Despite missing Tkachuk and other key players for extended stretches of the season, the Cats have managed to thrive regardless.

Aaron Ekblad is a star on both ends of the ice for the Panthers, producing offensively, while keeping up with the best forwards in the league defensively. While he might not be as prolific as his duo, Gustav Forsling, when it comes to defensive skills, he is still a huge asset when the team is up against the ropes.

Ekblad missed the last 18 games of the regular season, along with the first two showdowns against Tampa Bay in the playoffs, due to a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Based on the scoreboard, one wouldn’t have noticed the Cats were missing Ekblad in the majority of the series.

Moreover, Ekblad has been suspended two games for elbowing Brandon Hagel on the head, and will miss Game 1 of the Second Round. However, his absence, though crucial, won’t make the Cats any less favorites.

Aaron Ekblad #5 of the Florida Panthers celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena on April 28, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.

Brick wall in net

Hockey is a game of inches and strange bounces, where the puck’s luck tends to follow on the side who boasts the better goaltender. Great lineups will only go to waste if the netminder is not built to withstand in the biggest moments. The Florida Panthers have nothing to worry about in that regard.

Sergei Bobrovsky has been under the scope ever since signing a seven-year, $70M deal with the Panthers in 2019. Every goal allowed has been added as an asterisk to his multi-millionair deal, but the Russian goaltender has only learned to cancel out the noise, and build a fortress in net.

Florida’s postseason success can be credited to Tkachuk’s arrival, Paul Maurice’s system, Zito’s fearless decisions, or Marchand’s immediate impact—but the Stanley Cup would never have been hoisted in Sunrise without the man in the crease. His contract may have fueled debate for years, but his legacy is now etched into Lord Stanley—and will be remembered for eternity.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers skates onto the ice prior to the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Amerant Bank Arena on November 27, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida.

Championship window

The Cats aren’t letting up. Marchand, Tkachuk, and company are coming for another Stanley Cup—who dares to stand in their way? Call the Panthers ‘dirty’ if you will, and their style may no longer be flashy, but it’s certainly paid dividends.

The Panthers were once one of the league’s most well-liked teams—likely because they didn’t pose much of a threat. But they do now, and there isn’t a team in the NHL eager to face Marchand, Tkachuk, and these battle-tested Cats when the puck drops in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It’s clear now—the Panthers aren’t content with being a one-and-done chapter in the NHL’s legacy. The franchise in Florida holds both the pen and the triumphs, and as the saying goes: history is written by the victors—and these Panthers are far from closing their chapter.