The Florida Panthers had a special first month of the 2026-27 season. Whether it was knocking off the reigning Stanley Cup champions in a 1-0 thriller on opening night or scoring an NHL-leading five hat tricks, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate. However, it wasn’t the smoothest month either, with several significant injuries and lengthy scoring droughts.
The Good: Panthers register five hat tricks in just 14 games
Brady Tkachuk had no goals in his first six games, then recorded back-to-back natural hat tricks, first against Columbus and then Vancouver. After arriving in Florida with enormous expectations, Tkachuk snapped out of his early scoring drought and became the first player in Panthers history to record natural hat tricks in consecutive games. However, the celebrations didn’t end with the Vancouver game, as Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett had dual hat tricks in the very next game against Seattle.
Unfortunately, Florida did not tie the NHL record for hat tricks in four consecutive games, held by the 1982 Edmonton Oilers and 1992 Calgary Flames, but to cap off the month, Anton Lundell netted his first career three-goal game on Oct. 30. The 2026-27 Panthers became the first team in 104 years to have five hat tricks in the first month of the season. Moreover, out of the top six goal scorers on the roster, four of them have already collected at least one hat trick.
The Bad: Panthers forced to rely heavily on Akira Schmid
Having Akira Schmid as the Cats' top goalie isn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, he's an NHL-caliber netminder who has earned his opportunity. However, when Bill Zito brought him over the summer, the expectation was that he’d be the backup to Jacob Markström, but the 36-year-old Swedish netminder has already been injured twice. That’s forced Schmid to play in the majority of the team’s games, producing a 5-2-1 record. Although he’s compiled a decent 2.86 GAA, his .889 SV% is a little concerning.
In eight games, his current SV% ranks 35th in the NHL, tied with his former teammate in Vegas, Carter Hart. Meanwhile, Markström’s .897 SV% isn’t overly reassuring either, since his total ranks 26th in the league. Together, Schmid and Markström are tasked with replacing Sergei Bobrovsky and the revolving door of backups who supported him during his seven seasons in Florida. Right now, several Eastern Conference teams have eight wins, including Florida, which is why the team is just hanging around a wildcard spot at the conclusion of the first month. Whether or not they can contend for the Atlantic Division crown will depend on whether Schmid can handle being a full-time starter and Markström can stay healthy.
The Ugly: Déjà Vu with Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand
The Panthers played the entire 2025-26 season without captain Aleksander Barkov, who didn’t play hockey until the spring, when he helped Finland win the World Championship. Fully healthy for the first time in a year, Barkov enjoyed a decent preseason before suffering another lower-body injury in just the second game of the 2026-27 campaign. Initially, there were concerns the injury could be season-ending, but his recovery timeline suggested a possible return by Christmas. Meanwhile, recent news reports indicate he’s skating on his own and could be back in early December.
During his first full campaign with the Panthers, Brad Marchand played only 52 games, missing stints with various injuries. Despite his absences, he still scored 27 goals and 54 points, leaving many fans to wonder what could have been with a healthy Marchand for 82 games. Heading into the new season, the two-time Stanley Cup champion was expected to be in Florida's opening-night lineup until a last-minute surgery delayed his debut. Unfortunately, Marchand has played only two games this year after suffering a lower-body injury.
Unlike the 2025-26 season, when Florida struggled to overcome significant injuries, the Cats have weathered the storm much better this year. However, if the Panthers hope to remain among the Atlantic Division's top contenders, they'll need Barkov and Marchand back in the lineup sooner rather than later.
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