Why Panthers will win 2025 Stanley Cup

One thing that helped the Panthers through the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season was their scoring depth. Florida could rely on a number of players to generate offense when they needed it. In fact, nine players had 10 or more points during last season’s Cup run. One other player — Vladimir Tarasenko — had nine points.

This season, the Panthers offense remains rather deep. 13 players on this roster have scored 20 or more points. Nine players have reached double digits in terms of goals. These totals go up by one player if you include trade pickup Brad Marchand, who came over from the Boston Bruins at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.

Scoring depth is extremely important for any team in the postseason. Teams tend to play extremely tight defensively, and the games are much more physical. The Panthers are more than willing to play this sort of style. In order to win, they need goals from multiple players. They should have no issue receiving those timely goals in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Panthers loaded up at NHL Trade Deadline

As mentioned, the Panthers traded for Marchand at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. The former Bruins captain brings a ton of playoff experience to the roster. While he is hurt, the veteran winger remains an effective top-six offensive producer when he is on the ice. He could have a massive impact on Florida’s postseason run when he finally takes the ice.

However, Marchand is not the only player the Panthers picked up. Florida made another big trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to land defenseman Seth Jones. This move was certainly needed in hindsight, given an injury to Dmitry Kulikov and a suspension handed to Aaron Ekblad.

Florida also added some insurance at the bottom of their forward lineup. The Panthers traded for Nico Sturm in a trade with the San Jose Sharks. Sturm has mostly been deployed as Florida’s fourth-line center since his move to Sunrise.

Scoring depth is certainly important, but overall depth is paramount. Being able to roll four lines is crucial to winning games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers not only can roll all four lines, they improved upon the fantastic foundation they already had. The defending champions are poised to be a very dangerous team once the postseason gets underway.