The Florida Panthers have punched their tickets to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now facing the Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Finals, the Panthers are gearing up for a real gritty showdown after knocking out the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 2. “If anything, we know there’s a tremendous amount of work left. It certainly doesn’t get easier against a team like Carolina,” Panthers forward Sam Reinhart made it clear how the final showdown won’t look like the one it seems currently! Why? Despite the Panthers’ fine comebacks and prowess, the Canes will definitely look forward to bouncing back and taking revenge.
After they lost to Florida in the Eastern Conference Final in 2023, and now with Game 1 approaching in no time, the Canes’ numbers will try to tell a different story, perhaps. For what it’s worth, Florida entered the ring with a 47–31–4 record and 98 points, alongside a season series edge over Carolina at 2–1–0, true, but it might not be enough when the Hurricanes come crashing in with their home-ice firepower. Talk about a point to prove and Carolina will have a fine chance to show it while they already stand one point ahead, with a 47–30–5 record and 99 total points. Are they backing down?
Well, not easily when the face-off begins on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. And the concern, however, remains: will the Panthers channel their head-to-head success and start strong on enemy ice? Probably yes! Because guess what? They’re not just turning heads on the ice. Because it’s off the rink that the team is getting a nod of approval from someone who knows exactly what it takes to go all the way. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and current Boston Bruins forward, Pat Maroon, this time hasn’t just backed the Panthers but highlighted the chemistry that runs deep in the Florida squad. Call it a big one for Maroon believes it might give the Panthers a real shot in this next series. But what is it exactly that he said?
Just like the playoff conversations surrounding every corner of the NHL community, Maroon stepped forward to share his view on the Pat McAfee Show after the Panthers vs. Maple Leafs game. Definitely not about those flashy goals or fancy plays, but rather the bond that runs deeper in the locker room! “I’m a firm believer if you have those relationships inside, uh, it’s going to carry over on the ice. You’re going to have confidence, you’re going to, you know, stick up for your teammates, you’re going to play for the guy beside you. We just—there was a great culture in those Cup runs that we went deep on, and that’s a huge thing for me. And I think we’re seeing it with Florida right now,” the former 3x champion stated.
Credits: X/Florida Panthers
Maroon, who won back-to-back Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021 and one with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, knows exactly what it takes to win in the playoffs. After all, when such a veteran player points out a thing, that indeed comes with a lot of experience, right? Hence, when he said it starts off the ice, maybe it does. But he didn’t stop there; rather, he deeply analyzed the team’s strategies that had made them successful so far. “It just seems like their locker room’s clicking. They’ve got good leadership. You know, when someone gets traded there, they bring them in right away,” Maroon said. And hey, aren’t Brad Marchand and Seth Jones living proof of this? “They picked up two guys, that were some of the best players off other teams. It’s going to be a challenge. We know it’s going to be tough, but it’s supposed to be at this time of year,” even the Carolina HC Rod Brind’Amour couldn’t deny the fact!
Ever since joining the Panthers, Marchand has just slipped into the lineup like he’s been there all season! Adjustment period? Not needed necessarily. With just no slow build and 100% impact, Marchand performed exceptionally well this season. Talk about the latest game, and one goal with two assists just showed what happens when a team brings new guys in, right? And that’s what the Panthers do—make them feel like part of the fabric right away. And for Maroon, that’s the true sign of confidence, given the leadership the team has, helping shape the locker room culture… “That’s a sign of swagger to me—a sign of confidence, a belief system, you know, things that go up and down. Florida loses the first two; they find a way to come back and crawl back in the series. I think it’s just a confidence-swagger thing,” Maroon said.
Moving ahead, he reflected on how tough it is going to be for the Canes now that they have to compete against the toughest ones in the series. He said, “They’re a hell of a team. They have a goalie, they have four lines, they have great D—so they’re going to be hard; they’re going to be hard to beat. And, you know, in the series, T got hit like 150 times,” emphasizing the players they have got. And well, when you have Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Marchand, and others representing the top lines, wouldn’t that be aggressive? Perhaps the reason why he further points out– “When these guys are out there, it’s exhausting. And I think that’s because of the culture they have in that locker room—the belief system, 100%.” And hey, not just Pat Maroon but Tkachuk himself has spoken about the locker room vibes that create magic on ice.
However, will it be the same when the Panthers compete against the Canes too?
The Florida Panthers’ alternate revealed the biggest fear ahead of the Conference finals!
Just like Maroon, Tkachuk didn’t chalk it up to flashy goals or highlight-reel saves when it was about analyzing the win! He too pointed to the vibe behind closed doors. He said, “We kind of used that pressure that they’re feeling up here in Toronto almost against them in a way. They couldn’t afford to lose that game, and they couldn’t afford to lose that series after being up 2-2.” While the Panthers didn’t just outplay Toronto—they did out-compose them. Because the guys trust each other on and off the ice! Will that work in a similar way for the next one too?
Let’s say only when implemented smartly! Why? Because when you’ve got Jaccob Slavin on the other side, you need to work hard. “At that Four Nations, I really saw how unbelievable a player he is. Defensively, his stick, blocking shots, the little plays he’d make… he got every shot through,” Tkachuk pointed out, recalling how the star player helped Canada clinch the big win against the USA in the 4 Nations Face-off! After all, Slavin didn’t just slay but locked up superstars like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby!
Despite the fact, the Panthers know their will too. With winning the cup last year and dominating the series during this season, especially while playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Panthers, if continuing with the same gist and power, can flip all the narratives in no time. And who knows, it’s not Slavin or his Canes but the aggressive Panthers finding their way back to lifting the trophy once again this season?
The post 3X Stanley Cup Champion Gets Behind Florida Panthers Over This One Massive Advantage appeared first on EssentiallySports.