Which of the Panthers’ 4 playoff victims is best to beat them? – Hockey Writer – Florida Black Panthers

The Florida Panthers are once again the Stanley Cup champion. After winning all of them in 2024, they got better somehow, or at least dominate the playoffs in that way, eventually defeating the Edmonton Oilers in a six-game Cup final.

Related: Panthers shut down the Oilers in Game 6 to win the second straight Stanley Cup

It’s easy to look at the oilers, just recovering from losses and saying they have to make major changes to close the gap. This is not the case. The same goes for the other three teams that the Panthers beat in the playoffs. Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leaf are about to knock down their pedestals and win their titles, as crazy as it is now.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning is a team in a group that is in trouble. This is because they have a heavier lineup with obvious weaknesses and no solution. They will be a playoff team with Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman next season and have a great performance at a high level, but inevitably met the Panthers and lost in the series.

The problem is that they don’t steal this slow down path and if things don’t change, they can be the next Pittsburgh penguin. Lightning tried to patch some issues with Jake Guentzel signing, but eventually, they had to rebuild the farm system to compete with the Panthers again. This is what helped them become the Swordsman ten years ago and will make them a team defeated again.

Strangely, Lightning is a mini browsing of what the Black Panther might become over time. Before the Panthers arrived, they were a model franchise in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021, while appearing in the last four of eight seasons. But once they give their core or star players, their decline begins, a problem another South Florida team must eventually solve.

3. Carolina Hurricane

If the Panthers were the team that beat the NHL in the NHL, the Hurricanes were the team that beat in the Mets division. They made it to the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three seasons and are a well-established organization, but the problem is that the Panthers didn’t match, which swept them in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, taking care of them in five games this time.

The good news for the Hurricane is that there is talent, besides the goalkeeper (this is not a weakness, either, according to what happened to Frederik Andersen). Head coach Rod Brind’Amour will be their backup boss for a while and keep the team competitive, but the question is whether he will adjust his style or system to beat a team like the Panthers. Over time, he may allow the hurricane to overcome the hump.

2. Edmonton Oilers

Although the 2024 finals were distanced and only six games were played in the 2025 finals, the Oilers and Panthers narrowed the gap. They kept with the Panthers until the end, and then everything collapsed, starting with the collapse in Game 3. If Zach Hyman beats the Western Conference playoffs and wears a broken wrist playoff – that will be the roster in the lineup and the Oilers will lose the game in Game 2, that will lose them, that will put them in a stumbling block, which will frustrate them, which may frustrate them, or may frustrate them.

Most importantly, the Oiler has no response to the pre-censorship and relentless pressure from Black Panthers. They also couldn’t beat Sergei Bobrovsky in the last two games, and that’s where Heyman got injured. Oilers can solve several things in closing the gap.

The Oilers are a few blocks away, especially requiring more depth and may be a reliable goalkeeper to beat the Panthers. The team is older and entering the third straight playoffs will be a tough task, but if they can find a handful of players to move the needle, they can eventually win the Cup and allow Connor McDavid to lift the trophy.

1. Toronto maple leaves

Maple Leaf is a team that provides the Panthers with what they can handle. They took a 2-0 lead and lead in Game 3, but lost the game in overtime and allowed the Panthers to take over. The Maple Leafs still brought them into seven games, and Game 7 was blowing, but they were against the final champion opponent.

More importantly, Maple Leaf has the goalkeeper who gives Panthers problems. It can be argued that if Anthony Stolarz is healthy in the second round, they will win the series, especially in close range, with the Panthers going to stop or possibly stop against Joseph Woll.

Maple Leaf matches the Panthers very well. Led by head coach Craig Berube, they played 200 feet, hygiene, defense, and still have the ability to win offense. This season is the closest the Maple Leafs have to win the Cup, which puts them ahead of 2025-26.

Ironically, maple leaves are very close to oil workers

During the offseason, both Maple Leaf and Oilers will make major changes. So, despite being the two teams best suited to beat the Panthers, they may take a step back next season.

The Maple Leafs may lose Mitch Marner in the offseason. Of course, his playoff work or lack of playoffs will not be missed, but replacing his offense will be tough. The Maple Leafs may also lose John Tavares unless he is willing to take a team-friendly deal to leeway for teamwork, especially since they have to re-sign Matthew Knies of the restricted free agent (RFA).

The Oilers also risk losing RFA’s Evan Bouchard, and if another team gives him a significant offer, it’s hard to replace his production at this time. The oilers also have to prepare for McDavid’s expansion, and everyone in Edmonton will wait for Bet to breathe to see if one is completed in his current deal this summer.

Which team do you think is closest to beating the Panthers? Let us know in the comments section below!