‘Not like they used to be’: The biggest change in Panthers… and hard-nosed star who can save them
**‘Not Like They Used to Be’: The Florida Panthers’ Biggest Change and the Hard-Nosed Star Who Can Save Them**
The Florida Panthers, once perennial underdogs, have undergone a seismic shift in identity, moving from a franchise known for inconsistency to a gritty, championship-caliber team. However, as the 2024-25 NHL season unfolds, fans and analysts lament that the Panthers are “not like they used to be,” pointing to a dip in their relentless physicality and depth that defined their 2023 Stanley Cup Final and 2024 Cup-winning runs. The biggest change? A roster strained by salary cap constraints and key departures, resulting in a less dominant forecheck and secondary scoring, per The Hockey News and NHL.com. Despite a strong 11-5-1 start, their recent 4-3 overtime loss to the Rangers on November 16, 2024, exposed vulnerabilities, with fans on X, like @FlaHockeyNow, noting a lack of “that old Panthers snarl.”
The departure of core players like Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, coupled with injuries to Aaron Ekblad and a slow start from Sam Bennett, has diluted the team’s signature toughness, per ESPN.com. Their power play, once lethal, ranks 18th at 20.8%, and their penalty kill has slipped to 79.2%, per Hockey-Reference.com. Coach Paul Maurice has acknowledged the challenge, saying, “We’re not as deep as we were, but we’re still built to grind,” per Sun-Sentinel.com. The Panthers’ 2023-24 roster boasted 2,054 hits league-wide; this season, they’re on pace for fewer, with 412 hits through 17 games, per NHL.com.
Enter Matthew Tkachuk, the hard-nosed star poised to save the Panthers. The 27-year-old winger, with 8 goals and 15 assists in 17 games, remains the team’s heart, combining skill with unrelenting physicality (48 hits, second on the team), per ESPN.com. His clutch playoff performances—14 points in the 2024 Cup run—prove he thrives under pressure, per @TheNHLNetwork on X. Tkachuk’s leadership, evident in rallying teammates during a 3-2 comeback attempt against the Rangers, can reignite the Panthers’ identity. Fans on X, like @Panther Parkway, call him the “grit catalyst” to restore their edge.
To reclaim their dominance, the Panthers must lean on Tkachuk’s tenacity, bolster secondary scoring via trades (rumored targets include Max Domi, per Bleacher Report), and stabilize their special teams. With Tkachuk driving the charge, Florida can rediscover the snarl that made them champions.
