Paul Maurice gives a clear but careful update on Anton Lundell and who gets the crease tonight vs St-Louis

Jan 29, 2026 (6:00 PM)

Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Anton Lundell is day-to-day, and the Florida Panthers can’t really afford another missing piece with the NHL standings squeezing them before the Olympic break.

Paul Maurice kept it short and honest when asked about Lundell.

“Hopefully it won’t be too long.”

That’s not a timetable, but it’s not nothing either.

It reads like the Panthers believe they dodged the worst-case scenario.

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The timing is brutal because Florida sits at 28-21-3, and they’re right there in the Wild Card mix at 59 points.

Every game feels like a two-point swing, and you can feel the room acting like it’s already in playoff mode.

Lundell matters in that world because he stabilizes shifts that can’t be messy.

He’s got 15-21-36 on the season, but his real value is how often he starts the hard minutes and still keeps the puck moving north.

Panthers fans know what this does, it pushes other guys up a rung and suddenly your matchups get thinner.

Maurice has loved rolling waves lately, especially with the team finally getting healthier up front.

When a center like Lundell is limited, that “easy” lineup feeling disappears fast.

Florida also does not have time to baby points right now, because the break is close and the schedule is tight.

Thursday brings St. Louis, then Saturday is Winnipeg, and the next week runs through Buffalo, Boston, and Tampa Bay.

Those are not “get-right” games, those are games where you need your detail line to be your detail line.

If Lundell misses time, the Panthers will have to win with structure, and probably a little extra goaltending.

The good news is Maurice’s tone, “hopefully” is coach-speak, but it usually means the scans did not scream bad news.

Now it’s about getting Lundell back without rushing him, because Florida needs him for this stretch, and for the sprint after the break.

Daniil Tarasov gets the nod in net tonight against the St. Louis Blues, a big spot with Florida trying to bank points before the break.

He’s sitting at 8-6-2 with a 2.53 GAA and .909 save percentage, so the Panthers will gladly take that steadiness behind them on the road.

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Previously on Sunrise Hockey Insider

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JANVIER 29\|8 ANSWERS Paul Maurice gives a clear but careful update on Anton Lundell and who gets the crease tonight vs St-Louis Do the Florida Panthers need Anton Lundell back before the Olympic break?
Yes	6	75 %
No	2	25 %
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