Florida Panthers keep dropping points in the standings, and this stat tells you why
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Jonathan Ouimet
Jan 30, 2026 (11:49)
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Photo credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Matthew Tkachuk’s production couldn’t save the Florida Panthers in St. Louis, and the injury-hit playoff race suddenly feels tight.
Thursday should have been a “bank the points” night. Instead, the St. Louis Blues stole it late and left Florida staring at another missed chance.
Jimmy Snuggerud’s power-play winner came with under ten seconds left. That’s the kind of ending that sticks in your throat for days.
Tkachuk actually had his best moment of the season, scoring twice in his first game back after adductor surgery. He even hit his 400th career assist.
Florida still lost 5-4, their second straight, while the Blues snapped a five-game skid. The “bottom dweller” punchline writes itself.
Look at the standings on Friday and it’s not pretty. Florida sits 28-22-3, and there isn’t much breathing room in the Atlantic.
Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers feel the squeeze
Panthers fans sound worn out right now, because it feels like the team needs a perfect game just to beat teams they used to handle on autopilot.
The late 4-on-3 that led to the winner is the kind of detail coaches hate. Your penalty kill can battle all night, then one tiny breakdown ends it.
It also shows the thin margin when the lineup is patched together. The pace drops, legs get heavy, and the “safe” play turns risky in a hurry.
This is where Florida’s identity has to show up anyway. Get pucks deep, keep shifts short, and stop handing free looks through the middle.
The schedule doesn’t wait for anyone. The Winnipeg Jets come in Saturday, then the Buffalo Sabres visit Monday.
If the Panthers want to avoid that autopsy talk becoming real, these next two home games have to look like a contender again, not a team just trying to survive.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 30|6 ANSWERS Florida Panthers keep dropping points in the standings, and this stat tells you why Are these “bottom dweller” losses why the Florida Panthers could miss the playoffs? | ||
| Yes | 5 | 83.3 % |
| No | 1 | 16.7 % |
| List of polls | ||