Florida Panthers new season primer, CBS News Miami's Steve Goldstein
SUNRISE - The Florida Panthers open the regular season Thursday night in Minnesota. If it seems that they are back on the ice quickly, well, it is. You're right. It was in mid-June that they finally had their season come to an end in the Stanley Cup final. Now, they're back it. Here are the quick hits to get you geared up for the season.
Out on D
Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour will miss the start of the season and ballpark, about 2 months.
Step up D
The Panthers signed four veteran NHL defensemen, and when the big guys come back, the team will have tremendous depth on the blue line. For now, it's likely that 5 of the 7 defensemen on the opening night roster will be new Panthers.
Tkachuk-Tkaching
Matthew Tkachuk had a ridiculously incredible season in his first in South Florida. He was an MVP finalist and spearheaded a transformation of the Panthers' style of hockey to a nastier team that opponents don't like playing against.
What about Bob
The Panthers hope their goalie looks like he did in the playoffs to start this season. Sergei Bobrovsky will play the majority, if not all, of the games early in the season. Spencer Knight will start in the minors as he needs playing time.
Cap Barkov is no longer a (very) young man
The Panthers Captain starts his 11th season in South Florida. Aleksander Barkov continues to be a dominant 2-way player, and it's special watching him play.
Hot-lantic division
Forget about the Atlantic being the best division in hockey. There is absolutely no debate on that. What is debatable is whether or not it's one of the best divisions ever seen in the NHL. The Panthers, Tampa, Boston, and Toronto have all been top-five teams in the league over the last four years. Add in young, improving Detroit, Buffalo, and Ottawa, and there are just no nights off, and some really good teams will not make the playoffs.
Fan faves
Ryan Lomberg returns with his tough style of play and flowing hair. He is a great guy off the ice, always has time for fans, and is loved in his home rink. Nick Cousins had a great playoff run and is an easy guy to root for. Radko Gudas left as a free agent, so look for those two to pick up some of the nastiness.
New name
The Panthers' home is now called Amerant Bank Arena. The bank has a much bigger presence in South Florida and takes over for FLA Live Arena.
