![\"NHL:](\"https:\/\/media.floridahockeynow.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1120,height=776,fit=crop,quality=75,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/NHL-Stanley-Cup-Playoffs-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-at-Florida-Panthers-tagreuters-com2025newsml_mt1usatoday261547441867976797.jpg\")
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\nFORT LAUDERDALE \u2014 Last month, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice revealed that he was going to initially start the newly-acquired Brady Tkachuk on a line with Sasha Barkov and Sam Reinhart.<\/p>\n
Maurice said that he likes to see how a new player reacts to playing with Barkov \u2014 not only for the obvious positive reasons (like, who does not play better with Barkov?) but for the negatives as well. <\/p>\n
Not that we see any negative of Tkachuk joining Barkov and Reinhart. <\/p>\n
Except that we all just assumed The Tkachuk Bros. were going to play on a line together. <\/p>\n
Do not fret: Brady and Matthew Tkachuk will play with Sam Bennett eventually. It may not even take too long before the three are put together.<\/p>\n
The Tkachuk Bros. will probably play together on the top power play anyway. <\/p>\n
So, with Brady on the top line with Barkov and Reinhart, how does Florida\u2019s other lines look? <\/p>\n
What about the defensive pairs?<\/p>\n
How about we take a look, eh?<\/p>\n
FLORIDA PANTHERS PROJECTED LINES<\/p>\n
Brady Tkachuk \u2014 Sasha Barkov \u2014 Sam Reinhart<\/p>\n
Pros: So, where do we start? This has the potential to be one of the top lines in the NHL on both ends of the ice. The return of Barkov is huge for the Panthers by itself; adding BT to the mix with Reinhart should be a nightmare for opposing teams. Honest, how do you slow this train down? Now, we expect BT to move down to play with MT and Bennett, but to start, this has the potential to simply overpower folks.<\/p>\n
Cons: Aside from not giving us Bennett wrapped in a Tkachuk tortilla, nada. <\/p>\n
Carter Verhaeghe \u2014 Sam Bennett \u2014 Matthew Tkachuk<\/p>\n
Pros: This line has played together quite a bit over the past few seasons so there will be no learning curve between the three. This is a line that will certainly benefit from the speed of Verhaeghe, and he should get a lot of pucks worked his way. If he gets stopped, well, he has two linemates ready to clean up around the net.<\/p>\n
Cons: Again, there really are not any. The Panthers certainly would like to get a little more production from Verhaeghe during the regular season, and being able to play with MT from at least the start gives him a chance to get going early. <\/p>\n
Eetu Luostarinen \u2014 Anton Lundell \u2014 Brad Marchand<\/p>\n
Pros: This is getting a bit old, but where do you find fault here? This line was put together early in the 2025 playoff run and every team the Panthers played failed to find an answer for it. Marchand was Florida\u2019s leading scorer before his lingering injuries kept him from finishing the season. Lundell and Luostarinen had a lot to do with that. These three just flow together and are a beast to face on the defensive side of the ice. <\/p>\n
Cons: While Bill Zito said Marchand should be ready for the start of training camp after not needing offseason surgery, how many games can Florida get out of No. 63? There may be a little load management going on as the season goes along. If so, the Panthers certainly have some forward depth and Maurice may try mixing and matching this line during preseason to see what may just work. <\/p>\n
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
Cole Reinhardt \u2014 Lars Eller \u2014 Garnet Hathaway<\/p>\n
Pros: Honestly, we really do not know how this line is going to line up come opening night although it\u2019s a pretty safe bet Eller and Hathaway, two veteran pickups during the offseason, will be in it. Reinhardt showed he at least should get a crack at playing time \u2014 but so do the likes of Sandis Vilmanis and Cole Schwindt. We\u2019ll see how this all works out.<\/p>\n
Cons: Hey, we know the Panthers have, perhaps, the strongest top-9 in the NHL. But this fourth line, however it ends up being assembled, ain\u2019t too shabby. Now, where does Jonah Gadjovich fit in? The Panthers would love to see him 100 percent when camp opens, but he missed most of the season with an injury that just would not heal up. Zito said the Panthers\u2019 injuries from the past are just that, but we shall see.<\/p>\n
Gus Forsling \u2014 Aaron Ekblad<\/p>\n
Pros: This is a defensive pairing that has excelled over the past few years with both players playing off each other extremely well. <\/p>\n
Cons: Not much here. Forsling rarely misses a game and, although Ekblad has had some injury concerns over the years, he has been pretty healthy the past couple save for a broken finger late last season.<\/p>\n
Niko Mikkola \u2014 Seth Jones<\/p>\n
Pros: Another 2025 playoff pairing that just worked from the get is this one. Mikkola and Jones have size, speed, and can get the puck out and up the ice. <\/p>\n
Cons: Most teams would call this their top pair, but with the Panthers, these are the No. 2 guys. Sort of. The Panthers can rotate things depending on the matchup and be just fine. That\u2019s not a \u2018con;\u2019 just figured it was worth mentioning. <\/p>\n
![\"NHL:](\"https:\/\/media.floridahockeynow.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1120,height=747,fit=crop,quality=75,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/NHL-Stanley-Cup-Playoffs-Florida-Panthers-at-Toronto-Maple-Leafs-tagreuters-com2025newsml_mt1usatoday26178771892327139.jpg\")
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
Radko Gudas \u2014 Dmitry Kulikov<\/p>\n
Pros: Who doesn\u2019t love seeing Gudas back with the Panthers? Joined up with another long-time favorite in Kulikov just seems right. <\/p>\n
Cons: With Gudas taking No. 6 and Kulikov keeping No. 7 we\u2019re going to have quite a few \u20186-7\u2019 jokes well past that fad\u2019s expiration date. Seriously, though, Florida is probably going to do at least a little bit of rotating here with Uvis Balinskis and Donovan Sebrango returning. Expect Balinskis to make the team out of camp with the Panthers, perhaps, only carrying 13 forwards so not to expose Sebrango to waivers. <\/p>\n
Starting goalie \u2014 Jacob Markstrom<\/p>\n
Backup goalie \u2014 Akira Schmid<\/p>\n
Pros: Florida went out and solved its lack-of-goalie problem within a span of about 12 hours before free agency by making two separate trades for Schmid (from Vegas) and Markstrom (not from Vegas). We could see a more balanced goalie situation than before with Sergei Bobrovsky. While Bobrovsky liked sticking to a schedule planned way in advance, the Panthers may play these two a little more by ear \u2014 or, be more flexible in starting the so-called \u2018hot hand\u2019 when called for.<\/p>\n
Cons: The Panthers are banking that Markstrom rounds back into form after a few down years. Hey, Markstrom had nine shutouts four seasons ago. During the 2021-22 season, Markstrom had a plus-26.1 goals saved above average. That dropped to minus-18.4 the following year. Last season, less than half of Markstrom\u2019s starts were quality ones<\/a>, and he was at minus-13.7 GSAA. With this Florida defense in front of him \u2014 and getting to work with Robb Tallas again \u2014 the Panthers feel pretty good about a turnaround here. A grand majority of their moves have worked in the past and they get the benefit of the doubt here especially when it was Roberto Luongo\u2019s goalie department coming up with this plan.<\/p>\n ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS\u00a0OFFSEASON<\/p>\n NHL Free Agency:\u00a0Opened July 1<\/a><\/p>\n Panthers Rookie Camp\/Tournament:\u00a0Late August\/Early Sept.; Site TBA<\/p>\n Panthers Training Camp:\u00a0Early\/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale\u00a0<\/p>\n