Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Despite a battered lineup, the Florida Panthers headed into the NHL's holiday break riding one of their strongest stretches of the season.
Florida has collected points in nine of its last 11 games, going 8-2-1 since early December. That surge pushed the Panthers into a playoff spot before the league-wide freeze, a notable turnaround for a team that sat at the bottom of the Eastern Conference just weeks ago.
As recently as Dec. 3, the Panthers had only 12 wins and 25 points through 25 games. Now, they're 20-14-2 with 42 points, holding the second Wild Card spot in the East and sitting just five points behind Atlantic Division-leading Detroit with two games in hand.
That climb has come under difficult circumstances. Florida has spent all season without Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov, Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich. Along the way, they also weathered short-term absences from Eetu Luostarinen after a freak barbecue accident and Carter Verhaeghe, who missed time for the birth of his first child.
Paul Maurice pointed to early December as a crossroads moment.
«In our adversity, we were in trouble on December 2nd,» Maurice said. «We got beat by Toronto at home with eight guys out, staring at a brutal stretch of playoff teams. It could've gone the other way. Instead, we're 8-2 in our last 10, and I'm really proud of how they stuck together.»
December momentum meets a playoff gauntlet
The challenge ramps up immediately after the break. Florida opens with three games in four nights against playoff-position teams: Tampa Bay on Saturday, Washington on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday. That stretch leads directly into the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot park on Jan. 2, where the Panthers host the New York Rangers.
Two days later, the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche visit Amerant Bank Arena, followed by a demanding run where Florida plays nine of its next 10 on the road.
There is optimism, though. Matthew Tkachuk continues to progress in his recovery from offseason surgery and could be nearing his season debut. His return would provide a significant boost to Florida's top six, power play, and overall depth.
The Panthers' next practice is scheduled for Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, with another planned on New Year's Day on the Winter Classic ice.
Florida has earned its momentum. Now comes the test of sustaining it.