The Florida Panthers special teams struggle to start the 2023-24 NHL regular season. Injuries and predictability are the cause of the team´s struggles.
Last season´s Eastern Conference Champions are not off to the best start. Partially due to injuries on key players, but aside from the health factor the Panthers have shown issues over what they can control. Which is the action on the ice. The team´s record may not do it justice, but Paul Maurice´s team has not played up to its potential and has had its fair share of joys and disappointments. Possibly the biggest letdown so far this season has been the power play and penalty kill. Production has been far from ideal and has them sitting at the bottom of the barrel in those categories.
Time to Hunt and Kill Penalties to Understand Why the Florida Panthers Special Teams Struggle
The Florida Panthers special teams struggle and they do so big. Both on their effectiveness when on the man advantage and on their ability to kill off opponents` power plays. Perhaps the latter one is the main cause for concern down at Sunrise, as the Cats possess the league´s worst penalty-kill percentage. At an alarming 65.4 PK%. It looks worse when considering the fact they have faced three teams below the 20 PP% margin (Minnesota, Winnipeg, and San Jose). They have also allowed 5 PPG to three of the league´s best PP%, against New Jersey, Toronto, and Vancouver.
These stats are collective-wise and indicate the team needs to address the issue for the upcoming games. Especially once they get on the road and visit the Boston Bruins and the red-hot Detroit Red Wings. That road trip will end at the United Center where Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks will be waiting. Anxiously salivating for their date against the Panthers crestfallen PK. Damage control will be the main focus during this slate of games. The PK has to give Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz a chance to make the critical save. But they have to play a much tighter and shot-blocking role for that to occur.
Too Predictable on the Power Play
The Florida Panthers have a dangerous and high-scoring offence, filled with crease-crashing players, elite puck-handling skaters, and puck-carriers, along with a couple of sharpshooters. Therefore it may come as a surprise their low effectiveness on the man-advantage. How come such a talented and gritty group can fall short when up one or two men? The answers may vary, some may point to the absence of both Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, both capable of taking up the role of the Power Play Quarterback. Both injured defencemen possess good speed, great passing abilities, and outstanding powerful shots from the blue line. Summer´s addition Oliver Ekman-Larsson is assuming this role in the first unit and even though he is not Montour nor Ekblad, he is not really the one to blame.
The Cats have a 12.5 PP%, ranking 23rd in the NHL. The Florida Panthers special teams struggle and they do so equally, against both tough competition and easier ones, too. The issue relies far within this lineup and it is mainly because they are lacking creativity, either on the drawing board or in-action and improvised playmaking. Paul Maurice has to go into the lab and find out new ways for the power play to become the firepower unit it once was.
Lately, the Panthers seem to resign and insist on passing down to the goal line where Matthew Tkachuk sets office. From there he is faced with two options. Either sneak one shot in from up-close or pass up to the slot to Sam Reinhart so he can set off a one-timer. This play has had lots of success, but teams seem to have it all figured out and are ready for it.
Slight Twitches to Regain Dominance
Aleksander Barkov is known for his pass-first mentality and unselfish characteristics. However, it feels nonsensical to have him constantly setting up passes instead of shooting on goal. Perhaps Carter Verhaeghe and Evan Rodrigues are this team`s designed shooters from mid-distance. The former one has an absolute laser but is often placed in the second unit to balance the lines. Subtracting his TOI during the man-advantage.
A Pleasant Surprise to Start the Season
Players such as Reinhart and Tkachuk are big threats around the net and attract the PK´s attention, allowing for better shot opportunities from a distance. Any rebound or ricochet can be taken advantage of by both crease-marauders on the Panthers power play. Tkachuk is still to score this season and the impact from it is felt all around the lineup and team`s production. Whereas, Reinhart is the team´s leading goalscorer with seven, and the main reason for this PP% to be over double digits.
#FlaPanthers Sam Reinhart scored the go-ahead goal tonight vs. SJS, tallying for a career-high fifth straight game. He has produced nine points (7-2-9) over the course of his streak and his seven tallies this season are tied for 2nd-most among NHL skaters. pic.twitter.com/PLc1K4UBSc
— Florida Panthers PR (@FlaPanthersPR) October 25, 2023
Road Ahead
The schedule does not get any easier for the Panthers and their Special Teams´ struggle, so they need to pick up the pace. That is to maintain their head above the .500 waters. This team will go as far as their production on the special units takes them. And as long as the Florida Panthers special teams struggle this team is not in for a fun ride.
Main photo: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
