Florida Panthers: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

The Panthers won’t be as good as expected

After a surprisingly down season, many are expecting the Florida Panthers to bounce back and return to Stanley Cup contention. But will they? After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Panthers took a huge step back in 2025-26.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Game Within the Game: Key Matchups in Panthers Opener

"Great rivalries don't have to be built on hatred. They're built on respect, on a respect for excellence."Mike Krzyzewski When the 2026-27 NHL season gets underway Tuesday, two teams that have personified excellence over the last several years will be in the spotlight.

Florida Panthers News / Florida Panthers On SI / September 28

Brady Tkachuk ready, fourth line set for regular season opener

Brady Tkachuk was back at practice on the first line Monday when the Florida Panthers held their finale practice before boarding a flight to Raleigh, N.C., for the regular-season opener.

Florida Panthers News / Field Level Media / September 28

Canes to raise Cup banner, face Panthers in NHL season opener

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice will be wired for the beginning of the 2026-27 NHL campaign, perhaps more so than for some past seasons. The offseason layoff was a long one for the Panthers, vastly different from the previous two years.

Macklin Celebrini News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

How many of the players to grace the cover of each EA NHL video game going back to 'NHL 2000?"

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The 'Most NHL goals all-time' quiz

Florida Panthers News / Daily Faceoff / September 28

Will the Panthers’ goaltending sink their Stanley Cup hopes?

Consensus opinion coming into an NHL season isn’t always common, but it’s hard to find someone that doesn’t believe the Florida Panthers will be back to their Stanley Cup contending selves in 2026-27.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The best and worst NHL free agency deals since 2000

The NHL has had an interesting new millennium. It was a league sans a salary cap when the 2000s started… and then the owners locked the players out for an entire season.

Florida Panthers News / Florida Panthers On SI / September 28

Florida Panthers viewed as frontrunner by NHL players, coaches, executives

With the curtain about to rise on the NHL season, one thing is certain. Love them or hate them, you can’t ignore the Florida Panthers. They will be the team on the other bench when the Carolina Hurricanes raise their Stanley Cup championship banner Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Nathan Bastian News / Pro Hockey Rumors / September 27

Panthers Sign Nathan Bastian To Two-Way Deal

The Panthers announced that they have signed right-winger Nathan Bastian to a two-way deal for the upcoming season. Bastian will earn the league-minimum $850K salary if on the NHL roster and a $525K minor-league salary with a $575K guarantee, per PuckPedia.

Vladimir Tarasenko News / Florida Panthers On SI / September 27

Panthers Should Not Pursue Vladimir Tarasenko

The Florida Panthers are set to begin their new season on Tuesday, September 29. They wrapped up their preseason on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lighting.

Nathan Bastian News / Daily Faceoff / September 27

Panthers sign Nathan Bastian to one-year contract

The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with forward Nathan Bastian, PuckPedia reported Sunday afternoon. The deal reportedly carries an $850,000 NHL cap hit.

Florida Panthers News / Florida Panthers On SI / September 27

3 things that must go right for the Panthers this season

The Florida Panthers open the 2026-27 campaign as a renewed Stanley Cup contender. Their first test to open the regular season on Tuesday is a big kahuna -- on the road against defending champion Carolina.

Florida Panthers News / Inside The Rink / September 27

3 Takeaways From The Florida Panthers Preseason

After a solid set of preseason games, the Cats have a good idea of how everyone looks for the season. Florida went 2-0-2 in the preseason, with the team winning both first matches against their opponents and losing the second game in a shootout.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

Florida Panthers News / Florida Panthers On SI / September 26

What we learned after young Panthers beat veteran Lightning in preseason

The Panthers have a little of everything this season: from youth to proven veterans to players coming off injuries to make another run at a Stanley Cup.

Cole Reinhardt News / Florida Panthers On SI / September 25

Cole Reinhardt making case for Florida Panthers roster spot

Of the players vying for very few remaining roster spots open with the Florida Panthers, forward Cole Reinhardt has stood out as the quickest study in the shortened NHL preseason.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Most 200-K MLB seasons' quiz

The '100-receiving-yard playoff debuts' quiz

The 'Multiple 30/30 MLB seasons' quiz

The 'Active NFL catch leaders' quiz

Florida Panthers News / Daily Faceoff / September 23

Panthers' Brady Tkachuk expected to play in season opener despite being out day-to-day

Some good and bad news for one of the Florida Panthers‘ newest stars. On Wednesday, the Florida Panthers revealed that forward Brady Tkachuk is out with an undisclosed injury, but he’s expected to be back in action when the team drops the puck on the regular season.

NHL News / NHL Trade Talk / September 23

Brady Tkachuk Backlash: Owner Not Doing The Senators Any Favors

Michael Andlauer must have felt the need to get his thoughts about Brady Tkachuk off his chest, noting in a recent interview with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that “Blood is thicker than water, and let’s just say that his father and his brother got in his kitchen.” He added, “Ultimately, the decision was made to go and play with his brother.

NHL News / NHL Trade Talk / September 22

Senators Owner Breaks Silence on Brady Tkachuk Trade

Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer still speaks highly of Brady Tkachuk. But three months after the former captain was traded to the Florida Panthers, Andlauer has made clear how difficult the departure was for the organization.

Florida Panthers News / NHL on ClutchPoints / September 21

Brady Tkachuk’s preseason Panthers debut gets ‘tremendous’ praise

The Florida Panthers traded for Brady Tkachuk this summer in a deal with the Ottawa Senators. Tkachuk reunited with his brother, Matthew Tkachuk, on the Panthers with this move.

Brady Tkachuk News / Professor Press Box / September 21

Ex-Senator Brady Tkachuk Starts His Florida Career With a Bang

Some preseason games are just preseason games; others make you sit up a little. Brady Tkachuk's first game with the Florida Panthers falls into that second category.

Josef Boumedienne News / Pro Hockey Rumors / September 20

Panthers Add Josef Boumedienne, Others To Front Office

The Panthers announced four front-office additions on Sunday, including Swedish national team general manager Josef Boumedienne as their new vice president of hockey operations.

Michael Bunting News / The Hockey Writers / September 18

The Case for the Panthers to Sign Michael Bunting

On Tuesday (Sept. 16), Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito announced at his training camp press conference that Brad Marchand will miss the start of the season recovering from offseason surgery.

Florida Panthers News / Athlon Sports / September 18

Brad Marchand's Return Timeline Revealed By Panthers' Paul Maurice

Brad Marchand will begin his second full season with the Florida Panthers on the sidelines after undergoing surgery in August following an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign.

Florida Panthers News / NHL Trade Talk / September 16

Panthers’ Maurice Passes on Creating Most-Hated Line in Hockey — For Now

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice is in fine form, and the 2025-26 NHL season hasn’t even begun. In his media availability on Wednesday, the always personable bench boss with no bones about offering up a good sound bite gave reporters some early gold.