Florida Panthers are still looking for answers

The Panthers rallied for a wild 7-6 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, with Sam Bennett scoring the OT winner and Brad Marchand chiming in with four points, showing Florida's offense can erupt even when momentum swings wildly.

Still, that win only tells part of the story; Florida's defense has looked shaky at times, especially in road games. A 6-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche saw the Panthers get outworked in the second period, exposing lapses that have popped up against top teams.

Coach Paul Maurice has spoken openly about finding balance, something that showed up recently when Carter Verhaeghe scored and led the charge in a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders, helping the Cats snap a home slump.

Fans see flashes of brilliance from Florida's scorers, but worry about lapses that turn games on their head. Marchand continues to drive play when he's on the ice, while Bennett's clutch OT goal bought the Panthers a lift, but those moments need to become routine, not exceptions.

Veteran goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has had nights with high saves and nights where traffic in front went unanswered, keeping the Cats in tight games with varying results.

Florida's offense will be counted on even more as they approach marquee moments like the 2026 NHL Winter Classic in Miami, a spotlight game meant to elevate both the team and hockey in South Florida.

Looking ahead, Panthers fans want to see tighter defensive zone coverage, more disciplined play on the penalty kill, and consistency from the depth forwards beyond the first two lines. Momentum swings have defined Florida's recent results, and settling those bursts into a rhythm could be the key to climbing the standings.

The Cats still have the firepower to compete with anybody, but right now effort and structure need to match the flashes of offense for this group to live up to its potential.