The whole trajectory of the NHL changed when the Boston Bruins blew a 3-1 lead to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. There's a possibility that Brad Marchand could've ended the Panthers' dynasty before it even began if he had iced the series on a breakaway in the dying seconds of Game 5. However, the Panthers persevered, and three years later, they have won two Stanley Cups and appeared in three Stanley Cup Finals.
Ironically, Brad Marchand was the Bruin who benefited the most from that breakaway fail, as he was able to join Florida last season and win his second career Stanley Cup. While it was a feel-good moment to see him win another, it would've been nice for it to be with any team other than the Panthers.
Unfortunately, Bruins fans have had to watch this twice now, as the Tampa Bay Lightning had a mini-dynasty through the early 2020s, which closely resembles what the Panthers are now doing. The question now is whether the Panthers can achieve what the Lightning couldn't and keep it rolling.
It isn't easy to go back to the finals year after year. The seasons are only getting longer, and the issue with being the best team in the league is that your players receive more opportunities to showcase their skills. The 4 Nations Face-Off featured numerous Panthers players last year, and the 2026 Olympics will likely feature even more, with additional countries participating.
It has been a lot of hockey for the group's core members, and it's starting to pile up as we see that Matthew Tkachuk will miss the beginning of the 2025-26 season, and other players were heavily banged up at the end of last year's postseason.
It could be a slow start for Florida this year, given the circumstances, but as long as they make the playoffs, it'd be hard to bet against them going deep. Regardless of their seeding, there aren't any teams in the Eastern Conference that can match them in a seven-game playoff series.
The injury concerns and uncertainty surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs' roster will likely open the door for the Lightning to have another chance at being the top team in the division. It could also be an opportunity for a team like the Montreal Canadiens to rise from the wildcard and steal a spot.
Nevertheless, no matter how slow the Panthers start without Tkachuk and nursing a Stanley Cup hangover, don't be too surpriesd if they're playing hockey again next June.