2025–26 Florida Panthers season

2025–26 Florida Panthers
DivisionAtlantic
ConferenceEastern
2025–26 record19–14–2
Home record12–7–2
Road record7–7–0
Goals for112
Goals against112
Team information
General managerBill Zito
CoachPaul Maurice
CaptainAleksander Barkov
Alternate captainsAaron Ekblad
Matthew Tkachuk
ArenaAmerant Bank Arena
Minor league affiliatesCharlotte Checkers (AHL)
Savannah Ghost Pirates (ECHL)
Team leaders
GoalsBrad Marchand (20)
AssistsBrad Marchand (20)
PointsBrad Marchand (40)
Penalty minutesA. J. Greer (51)
Plus/minusNiko Mikkola (+9)
WinsSergei Bobrovsky (15)
Goals against averageSergei Bobrovsky (2.81)

The 2025–26 Florida Panthers season is the 32nd season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established in 1993.[1] The Panthers enter the season as the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions having defeated the Edmonton Oilers in six games in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.[2]

The Florida Panthers were the subject of criticism after a violent preseason brawl with the Tampa Bay Lightning that resulted in heavy fines and suspensions for Tampa Bay but only a minimal fine for Panthers player A. J. Greer,[3] a disparity that commentators said raised questions about the NHL's disciplinary consistency.[4] The Guardian reported that the episode revived concerns that the league's disciplinary system may favour certain clubs because of personal and institutional connections within NHL administration.[4] The article also highlighted scrutiny of team owner Vincent Viola and minority owner Douglas Cifu over political associations, and a politically-charged social media exchange by Cifu that later resulted in his suspension by the NHL.[4][5]

Continued controversy hit the Panthers again on December 15, 2025, following an illegal elbow hit to the head by Panthers defenseman Seth Jones on Lightning forward Brandon Hagel.[6] Jones was not penalized on the play, nor was he given supplementary discipline, an outcome that left current mainstream NHL broadcast members like Ray Ferraro confused.[7]

Standings

Divisional standings

Atlantic Division
Pos Team GP W L OTL RW GF GA GD Pts
1 Detroit Red Wings 37 21 13 3 16 116 119 −3 45
2 Tampa Bay Lightning 36 20 13 3 17 117 95 +22 43
3 Montreal Canadiens 36 19 12 5 12 117 122 −5 43
4 Boston Bruins 37 20 16 1 14 120 120 0 41
5 Florida Panthers 35 19 14 2 16 112 112 0 40
6 Ottawa Senators 35 18 13 4 13 117 110 +7 40
7 Buffalo Sabres 35 17 14 4 12 109 115 −6 38
8 Toronto Maple Leafs 35 15 15 5 11 109 118 −9 35
Updated to game(s) played on December 22, 2025. Source: National Hockey League[8]
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)

Conference standings

Eastern Conference Wild Card
Pos Div Team GP W L OTL RW GF GA GD Pts
1 ME New York Islanders 36 19 13 4 13 105 103 +2 42
2 ME New Jersey Devils 36 20 15 1 13 102 108 −6 41
3 AT Boston Bruins 37 20 16 1 14 120 120 0 41
4 AT Florida Panthers 35 19 14 2 16 112 112 0 40
5 AT Ottawa Senators 35 18 13 4 13 117 110 +7 40
6 ME New York Rangers 38 18 16 4 11 97 102 −5 40
7 ME Pittsburgh Penguins 35 15 11 9 14 107 113 −6 39
8 AT Buffalo Sabres 35 17 14 4 12 109 115 −6 38
9 ME Columbus Blue Jackets 36 15 15 6 8 108 125 −17 36
10 AT Toronto Maple Leafs 35 15 15 5 11 109 118 −9 35
Updated to game(s) played on December 22, 2025. Source: National Hockey League[9]
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)

Schedule and results

Preseason

The preseason schedule was published on June 24, 2025.[10]

Regular season

The regular season schedule was published on July 16, 2025.[18]

2025–26 game log
December: 7–3–1 (Home: 4–2–1; Road: 3–1–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap
25 December 2 Toronto 4–1 Florida Bobrovsky 19,268 12–12–1 25 [43]
26 December 4 Nashville 2–1 Florida OT Bobrovsky 19,340 12–12–2 26 [44]
27 December 6 Columbus 6–7 Florida OT Bobrovsky 19,269 13–12–2 28 [45]
28 December 7 NY Islanders 1–4 Florida Tarasov 19,334 14–12–2 30 [46]
29 December 10 Florida 4–3 Utah Bobrovsky 12,478 15–12–2 32 [47]
30 December 11 Florida 2–6 Colorado Tarasov 18,112 15–13–2 32 [48]
31 December 13 Florida 4–0 Dallas Bobrovsky 18,532 16–13–2 34 [49]
32 December 15 Florida 5–2 Tampa Bay Bobrovsky 19,092 17–13–2 36 [50]
33 December 17 Los Angeles 2–3 Florida Tarasov 19,612 18–13–2 38 [51]
34 December 19 Carolina 3–4 Florida SO Bobrovsky 19,217 19–13–2 40 [52]
35 December 20 St. Louis 6–2 Florida Tarasov 19,081 19–14–2 40 [53]
36 December 23 Florida – Carolina
37 December 27 Tampa Bay – Florida
38 December 29 Washington – Florida
39 December 30 Montreal – Florida

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Player statistics

Roster

Updated November 21, 2025[54][55]

No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
26 Uvis Balinskis D L 29 2023 Ventspils, Latvia
16 Aleksander Barkov (C)  C L 30 2013 Tampere, Finland
9 Sam Bennett C L 29 2021 East Gwillimbury, Ontario
72 Sergei Bobrovsky G L 37 2019 Novokuznetsk, Russia
70 Jesper Boqvist C L 27 2024 Falun, Sweden
5 Aaron Ekblad (A) D R 29 2014 Windsor, Ontario
42 Gustav Forsling D L 29 2021 Linköping, Sweden
12 Jonah Gadjovich  LW L 27 2023 Whitby, Ontario
10 A. J. Greer LW L 29 2024 Notre-Dame-des-Prairies, Quebec
18 Noah Gregor LW L 27 2025 Edmonton, Alberta
3 Seth Jones D R 31 2025 Arlington, Texas
7 Dmitry Kulikov  D L 35 2023 Lipetsk, Russia
71 Luke Kunin C R 28 2025 Chesterfield, Missouri
15 Anton Lundell C L 24 2020 Espoo, Finland
27 Eetu Luostarinen  C L 27 2020 Siilinjärvi, Finland
63 Brad Marchand LW L 37 2025 Halifax, Nova Scotia
77 Niko Mikkola D L 29 2023 Kiiminki, Finland
92 Tomas Nosek  LW L 33 2024 Pardubice, Czech Republic
2 Jeff Petry D R 38 2025 Ann Arbor, Michigan
13 Sam Reinhart C R 30 2021 North Vancouver, British Columbia
17 Evan Rodrigues C R 32 2023 Toronto, Ontario
11 Mackie Samoskevich RW R 23 2021 Newtown, Connecticut
79 Cole Schwindt  RW R 24 2025 Breslau, Ontario
6 Donovan Sebrango D L 23 2025 Ottawa, Ontario
40 Daniil Tarasov G L 26 2025 Novokuznetsk, Russia
19 Matthew Tkachuk (A)  LW L 28 2022 Scottsdale, Arizona
23 Carter Verhaeghe C L 30 2020 Toronto, Ontario

Transactions

The Panthers have been involved in the following transactions during the 2025–26 season.

Key:

 †  Contract is entry-level.
 ‡  Contract initially takes effect in the 2026–27 season.

Trades

Players acquired

Date Player Former team Term Via Ref
July 1, 2025 (2025-07-01) Brandon Bussi Boston Bruins 1-year Free agency [56]
Nolan Foote New Jersey Devils 1-year Free agency [57]
Jeff Petry Detroit Red Wings 1-year Free agency [58]
Jack Studnicka Los Angeles Kings 1-year Free agency [59]
August 22, 2025 (2025-08-22) Luke Kunin Columbus Blue Jackets 1-year Free agency [60]
October 3, 2025 (2025-10-03) Cole Schwindt Vegas Golden Knights Waivers [61]
October 15, 2025 (2025-10-15) Donovan Sebrango Ottawa Senators Waivers [62]

Players lost

Date Player New team Term Via Ref
July 1, 2025 (2025-07-01) Rasmus Asplund HC Davos (NL) 2-year Free agency [63]
Kaapo Kahkonen Montreal Canadiens 1-year Free agency [64]
Nate Schmidt Utah Mammoth 3-year Free agency [65]
Nico Sturm Minnesota Wild 2-year Free agency [66]
Vitek Vanecek Utah Mammoth 1-year Free agency [67]
Jaycob Megna Vegas Golden Knights 2-year Free agency [68]
July 2, 2025 (2025-07-02) Matt Kiersted Minnesota Wild 2-year Free agency [69]
July 7, 2025 (2025-07-07) Zac Dalpe Retirement [70]
October 5, 2025 (2025-10-05) Brandon Bussi Carolina Hurricanes Waivers [71]

Signings

Draft picks

See also: List of Florida Panthers draft picks

Below are the Florida Panthers' selections at the 2025 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 27 and 28, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

Round # Player Pos Nationality Team (league)
5 129[A] Shamar Moses RW  Canada North Bay Battalion (OHL)
6 192 Arvid Drott RW  Sweden Djurgardens IF J20 (J20 Nationell)
7 197[B] Brendan Dunphy D  United States Wenatchee Wild (WHL)
224 Yegor Midlak G  Russia JHC Spartak (MHL)

Notes

  1. ^ The San Jose Sharks' fifth-round pick went to the Florida Panthers as the result of a trade on July 1, 2023, that sent Anthony Duclair to San Jose in exchange for Steven Lorentz and this pick.[72]
  2. ^ The Boston Bruins' seventh-round pick went to the Florida Panthers as the result of a trade on June 28, 2025, that sent a sixth-round pick in 2026 to Chicago in exchange for this pick.[73]

References

  1. ^ Hamacher, Brian (June 24, 2024). "A look at the Panthers' 30-year history, from franchise beginnings to Stanley Cup". South Florida. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  2. ^ Richards, George (August 10, 2025). "After Stanley Cup Parties, Florida Panthers Getting Back to Work". FLA Hockey Now. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  3. ^ "Lightning, Panthers Suspensions & Fines". The New York Times. October 6, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Graham, Bryan Armen (October 9, 2025). "Blood, bias and the Battle of Florida: how the NHL's dirtiest rivalry exposed hockey's old-boy rot". The Guardian. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  5. ^ "Panthers executive Doug Cifu suspended by NHL for conduct after brawl with Lightning". AP News. Associated Press. October 8, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  6. ^ Sportsnet Staff. "Lightning's Hagel exits with apparent injury vs. Panthers." Sportsnet. https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/lightnings-hagel-exits-with-apparent-injury-vs-panthers/
  7. ^ Ray Ferraro and Darren "Dregs" Dreger (December 16, 2025). "Injuries with Olympic Implications, 2 Huge Trades, Leafs Need a Shakeup, Ask Ray & Dregs". YouTube (Podcast). YouTube. Event occurs at 7:50. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  8. ^ "NHL Hockey Standings". NHL.com. National Hockey League.
  9. ^ "NHL Hockey Standings". NHL.com. National Hockey League.
  10. ^ "Florida Panthers Announce 2025–26 Preseason Schedule". Florida Panthers. NHL. June 24, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
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  42. ^ "Calgary Flames - Florida Panthers - Nov 28, 2025". NHL.com. November 28, 2025. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
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  45. ^ "Columbus Blue Jackets - Florida Panthers - Dec 6, 2025". NHL.com. December 6, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  46. ^ "Florida Panthers - New York Islanders - Dec 7, 2025". NHL.com. December 7, 2025. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  47. ^ "Florida Panthers - Utah Mammoth - Dec 10, 2025". NHL.com. December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
  48. ^ "Colorado Avalanche - Florida Panthers - Dec 11, 2025". NHL.com. December 11, 2025. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
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  57. ^ "Florida Panthers Agree to Terms with Forward Nolan Foote on One-Year, Two-Way Contract". Florida Panthers. July 1, 2025.
  58. ^ "Florida Panthers Agree to Terms with Defenseman Jeff Petry on One-Year Contract". Florida Panthers. July 1, 2025.
  59. ^ Olive, Jameson (July 2, 2025). "Florida Panthers Agree to Terms with Forward Jack Studnicka on One-Year, Two-Way Contract". Florida Panthers.
  60. ^ "Florida Panthers Agree to Terms with Forward Luke Kunin on a One-Year Contract". Florida Panthers. August 22, 2025.
  61. ^ "Florida Panthers Claim Forward Cole Schwindt Off Waivers". Florida Panthers. October 3, 2025.
  62. ^ "Florida Panthers Claim Defenseman Donovan Sebrango Off Waivers". Florida Panthers. October 15, 2025.
  63. ^ O'Brien, Derek (July 1, 2025). "Rasmus Asplund Leaves Florida Organization For Switzerland". The Hockey News. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  64. ^ "One-year contracts for Samuel Blais and Kaapo Kahkonen". Montreal Canadiens. July 1, 2025.
  65. ^ "Utah Signs Defenseman Nate Schmidt to Three-Year Contract". Utah Mammoth. July 1, 2025.
  66. ^ "Minnesota Wild Signs Forward Nico Sturm to a Two-year Contract". Minnesota Wild. July 1, 2025.
  67. ^ "Utah Signs Goaltender Vitek Vaněček to One-Year Contract". Utah Mammoth. July 1, 2025.
  68. ^ "Vegas Golden Knights Announce Roster Transactions". Vegas Golden Knights. July 1, 2025.
  69. ^ "Minnesota Wild Signs Five Players to Contracts". Minnesota Wild. July 2, 2025.
  70. ^ "Journeyman forward Dalpe retires at 35: 'It was all hard work'". tsn.ca. July 7, 2025.
  71. ^ "Canes Acquire Brandon Bussi Off Waivers". Carolina Hurricanes. October 10, 2025.
  72. ^ "Duclair traded to Sharks by Panthers for Lorentz, draft pick". July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  73. ^ "Florida Panthers Select Six Players on Day 2 of 2025 NHL Draft". June 28, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
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