NHL analyst names the Panthers top challengers for the 2024-25 season

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Joshua Deeds
August 11, 2024 (4:29 PM)

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The Florida Panthers proved they were the best in the NHL this season, winning the Stanley Cup and barreling through their opponents. Of course, New York would be in the way, pushing them to six games.

They then would defeat the Edmonton Oilers, who nearly completed a reverse sweep, and Paul Maurice finally got his cup.

While they lost a lot of talent after their cup run, they're still considered the top team in the NHL, until another team is good enough to dethrone them.

According to TSN's Brian Hayes, only one team in the East is capable of doing so:

«I think it's a lot like the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL, Scully, where, I'd argue it's themselves," he said. "I think it's the Florida Panthers themselves. Do they run into injuries? Do they get complacent? But pushing Florida aside in talking about who's going to challenge them. I'll go with the team they met in the Eastern Final and that would be the New York Rangers."

The Rangers did push the Panthers to six-games in the 2023-2024 Eastern Conference Finals, and could be ready to get revenge in the upcoming season.

"I think Florida is still the clear-cut favorite," he said. "Very difficult to go to three straight cup finals, albeit Tampa just did it a couple of years ago. But if I had to pick one team to chase down the Champs as of today, it would be the New York Rangers in the East.»

Could Peter Laviolette adjust the Rangers correctly to declaw the Cats in Sunrise?

The New York Rangers won the Presidents Trophy last season, ultimately suffering the curse. Can their fortunes change in 2024-2025?

Source: Hockey Feed
Analyst names top competition for Panthers in 2024-25