Florida surge continues as Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart drive Panthers pace

Bennett has warmed up again, and his burst shows in five games with at least one point over his last six outings. He turns 29 this summer, and his pace looks closer to his 49 point season from 2021 than last year's injury shaken campaign.

Reinhart keeps showing that last season's 94 point breakout was no fluke. He stacked 17 points in November for Florida, split between five goals and twelve assists, which matches his career habit of heating up in the second month. He sits among league leaders again thanks to a shooting percentage hovering near 20 percent for a second straight year.

Florida also keeps banking home wins from depth scoring and timely special teams. Brad Marchand has quietly produced nine goals in thirteen home games for Boston, and that number matters because Florida has handled strong Eastern rivals by winning tight matchups against players like Marchand. The Panthers already own a 3 1 0 record this season against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which signals real divisional confidence.

The fan buzz around this group keeps rising because the top six finally feels balanced again after years of shuffling. Florida controls nearly 55 percent of expected goals at five on five, and that edge shows every night Bennett forechecks or Reinhart snaps a quick pass into space.

Support players have joined the fun. Anton Lundell owns twelve points already after dipping last season, and Matthew Tkachuk keeps creating screens that free Reinhart on the left flank. This roster, built piece by piece since 2021, finally looks both fast and heavy in the right places.

Coaching decisions have tightened details too. Florida's controlled exits looked cleaner last week, especially when Gustav Forsling used his skating to beat forechecks. Those little adjustments matter when every Atlantic Division game feels like a playoff preview.

Fans want more consistency in finishing, but the structure holds and the numbers back it up. If Bennett keeps driving the middle and Reinhart keeps padding the sheet, the next milestone could be a real run for the conference lead.