Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023-24 revision of our top 50 Florida Panthers.

As for all of our top 50 players in hockey, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Hockey League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Florida finally did it!  They won their first Stanley Cup championship with a deep and talented squad.  As this franchise formed in the 1990s, last season’s accomplishments led to one of the most significant changes ever in our 50 franchise lists.

As always, we present our top five, which saw some significant changes:

1. Roberto Luongo
2. Alexsander Barkov
3. Jonathan Huberdeau
4. Aaron Ekblad
5. John Vanbiesboruck

You can find the entire list here.

Again, as this is still a young franchise, the changes were huge.

It was very tempting to put Barkov at #1, and perhaps it is a mistake not to have done so.  Barkov captained the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup, but Luongo was a first ballot Hall of Famer.  An average Barkov season will easily place Barkov at #1.

Aaron Ekblad, who was #5, moved up one spot to #4.

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who was third in Vezina Trophy voting, rocketed to #10 from #19.

We might have made a mistake in not ranking Sam Reinhart last year.  That has been corrected, and the sniper who lit the lamp 57 times last year is here at #18.

Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who began his second run in Florida last season, climbed to #21 from #26.

2022/2023 Second Team All-Star Matthew Tkachuk rocketed to #25 from #42.

Defenseman Gustav Forsling reached #26 from #35.

Center Carter Verhaeghe went to #28 from #34.

Defenseman Brandon Montour, who is now with Seattle, advanced from #36 to #30.

Center Sam Bennett jumped ten spots to #39.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Second-generation hockey player (his father was Defenseman Paul Reinhart) Sam Reinhart had quality seasons in Buffalo, where he scored at least 20 Goals five times, but when he was traded to Florida, he took his career (and his new team) to the next level.

Reinhart broke 30 Goals in each of his first two seasons and last year he became the prime sniper for Florida where he led the NHL in Power Play Goals (27), was accurate as he league’s leader in Shooting Percentage, and was second overall in Goals (57).  Florida won their first Stanley Cup, and Reinhart was the man who had the game-winning goal in Game 7.

Reinhart won’t sneak up on anyone this season as he looks to bring the Panthers a second Stanley Cup.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Florida Panthers.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Hockey League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Florida had an excellent post-season, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals after shocking the Boston Bruins in the opening round.  Last year resulted in three new entries, and several elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which had no changes:

1. Roberto Luongo

2. Alexsander Barkov

3. Jonathan Huberdeau

4. John Vanbiesbrouck

5. Aaron Ekblad

You can find the entire list here.

Notably, Barkov was unable to surpass Luongo for the #1 spot, and remains at #2.  In addition, Ekblad also was not able to move up from his #5 rank.

Goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, reached #19 from #23.

Forward, Carter Verhaeghe, is the first of two entries, coming in at #34.

Gustav Forling made it to #35 from #45.

The second of four new entries is Brandon Montour, who enters at #36.

Forward, Matthew Tkachuk, makes his first appearance at #42.

The last new entrant is Sam Bennett, who appears it at #49.

Completing the alterations is current San Jose Shark. Anthony Duclair, who was traded during last season, and fell behind newer entrants, but did enough to remain.  He is at #50.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Sam Bennett was a trade deadline deal from Calgary in 2021, and it was a great fit for the veteran Center who finished the year with 15 Points in 10 Games. 

Since then, Bennett has played his best hockey, putting forth three consecutive 40-plus Point years with a physical style that the Panthers needed, which proved fruitful when they won the their first Stanley Cup in 2024. He won’t crack the top ten of this franchise, but he has already proved his worth in the state of Florida.

The Calgary Flames were informed by their top Wing, Matthew Tkachuk, that he had no interest in resigning a long-term deal.  They found a quick suitor in Florida, who gave up a lot to get the forward, but in the brief time we are looking at this list, it seems to be well worth it.

In his first season that Tkachuk played for the Panthers, he set a career-high in 109 Points and was a Second Team All-Star.  Tkachuk also led Florida into the Easter Conference Finals, and was the playoff leader in Penalty Minutes (74) and Game-Winning Goals (4).  Tkachuk was awarded a Second Team All-Star, was third in Hart voting, and even received Frank J. Selke votes as the best defensive forward.  Last season, he again was great with 88 Points, and he a goal-saving dive on an empty net in the Finals (though Edmonton scored a second later), but at the end of the day, Tkachuk was hoisting the Stanley Cup.

He might have only been a Panther for one year as of this writing, but it is one of the best of any winger in franchise history, and for a team that has such a brief history, Tkachuk belongs in this spot

Brandon Montour was traded from the Buffalo Sabres to Florida for their playoff run in 2021, and since his arrival he has ascended to one of their top Defenseman.

In Montour’s first full season in Florida, he scored 37 Points, three more than his previous best, but in 2022-23, he exploded in Points with 73, much of which was due to a new role on the power play.  He returned back to the previous level in 2023-24 with 33 Points, but he provided depth on Florida's run to their first Stanley Cup.  It was a great end for Montour in Florida, as he signed with the Seattle Kraken as a Free Agent afterward.

Montour had 147 Points with a Plus/Minus of +33.

Carter Verhaeghe was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was traded to the New York Islanders before he made the NHL.  He never played for the Isles either, as he was dealt to Tampa, where he won an AHL scoring title, and made it to the Lightning roster in 2019/20, where he played a small role in their Stanley Cup win.  As the Bolts were loaded at Center, they allowed him to leave for Free Agency, in a move that they might have regretted.  Verhaeghe stayed in state, signing with Florida, and he proved that he could be a scorer at hockey’s elite level.

Verhaeghe’s ice time doubles with the Panthers and in his first season (the COVID-shortened 2020/21) with the club he scored 36 Points in 43 Games, and had 55 Points in 2022-22.  He took it to another level two seasons ago, lighting the lamp 42 times which placed him ninth overall, and last year he had hid second straight 70-plus Point output and was a large component in their first Stanley Cup win.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2021/22 revision of our top Florida Panthers.

As for all of our top 50 players in hockey we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Hockey League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Panthers were Stanley Cup contenders, but they were eliminated in the second round.  As this is a young and loaded team, this led to three new entries on our top 50 and multiple elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which changed significantly from last year:

1. Roberto Luongo

2. Alexsander Barkov

3. Jonathan Huberdeau

4. John Vanbiesbrouck

5. Aaron Ekblad

You can find the entire list here.

Barkov, who won the Frank J. Selke in 2021 and the Lady Byng in 2019, moved to the #2 spot from #3.

Huberdeau, who was traded to the Flames in the off-season, and was a Second Team All-Star last year, also went up one rung with his new rank being #3.

Ekblad is the third mover withing the top five, with the Defenseman also edging one spot from #6. 

Defenseman, Mackenzie Weegar, reaches #19 from #33, but was also traded to Calgary along with Huberdeau.

Former Vezina Trophy winner with Columbus, Sergei Bobrovsky, enters the list at #23.

The other debuts are Defenseman, Gustav Forsling at #45 and Right Wing, Anthony Duclair at #48.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

A Third Round Pick by the New York Rangers in 2013, Anthony Duclair bounced around with the team that drafted him, Arizona, Chicago, Columbus, and Ottawa before signing with the Florida Panthers in the 2020 off-season, in a move that has thus far proved fruitful for both parties.

The Left Wing responded well for his sixth team, scoring 32 Points in 43 Games in 2020-21 but last year, Duclair had his best year in the National Hockey League with career-highs in Goals (31), Assists (27), and Points (58) and vecame a certified contributor on a playoff contender, but injuries would hold him to onlt 20 Games in 2022/23.  That was his last season in Florida, as he was traded to the San Jose Sharks as a salary cap move.

He had 99 Points in 137 Games as a Panther.

Gustav Forsling was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks, but it was the Chicago Blackhawks who first signed him, as his rights were dealt to the Windy City.  The Swedish Defenseman played three years for Chicago before he was again traded, this time to Carolina, whom he never played for.  When the Hurricanes waived him in January of 2021, Forsling was picked up by the Florida Panthers.

Forsling had 17 Points for Florida that year, helping the Panthers reach the playoffs, but he had a breakout 2021-22 where saw more ice time, scored 10 Goals with 37 Points and was sixth in Plus/Minus (+41).  He was even better in 2022/23 with 13 Goals and 41 Points, and helped the Panthers reach the Eastern Coference Finals, but in 2023/24, Forsling had his best year to date.  The bluliner had 39 Points, was ninth in Norris voting (his first top ten finish) and led the NHL in Plus/Minus (+56) and defensive Point Shares (8.0).  More Improtantly, He was an star in Florida's run to their first Stanley Cup.

He is a potential top ten player on this team.

A two-time Vezina winner with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Russian-born Goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky signed with Florida as a Free Agent, with the Panthers believing that he was the missing piece of the puzzle.

Bobrovsky’s Florida career did not start off with a bang, as his 3.23 GAA in his debut season with the Panthers was his worst in Hockey.  He shaved that down to 2.91 the year after, but his third season was a renaissance for Bobrovsky with a solid 2.67 GAA and a league-leading 39 Wins.  Last season, Bobrovsky anchored the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup off of his best season in Florida (2.37 GAA with a third-place finish in Vezina voting).  He isn't done yet! 

It has been said by many that Jay Bouwmeester is one of the most gifted skaters in hockey history.  We have to agree, and would gladly throw in that Bouwmeester is one of the more underrated players of the game.

The Canadian Defenseman was the third overall pick in 2002 by Florida, and was an All-Rookie after making the Panthers after being drafted.  Bouwmeester was a two-time All-Star with Florida, and he twice received Norris Trophy votes.  He would be traded to Calgary in 2009, and at the 2013 Trade Deadline, Bouwmeester was dealt to St. Louis, providing a veteran presence to the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2019.

Bouwmeester’s career ended abruptly when he suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against Anaheim in February of 2020.  He never played again, thus ending one of the most sneaky good careers in hockey.  As a professional, Bouwmeester scored 424 Points in 1,240 Games.

If Bouwmeester never becomes a serious contender for the Hockey Hall of Fame, the IIHOF could look at him, as he won five Gold Medals (one Olympics, two World Cups, two Worlds) while playing 57 Games for Team Canada.  That is one hell of an international career.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021-22 revision of our top 50 Florida Panthers.

As for all of our top 50 players in hockey we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NHL. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note, that this is our first revision in in the last five years, and it has resulted in numerous new entries and elevation of existing players.

As always, we present our top five immediately:

1. Roberto Luongo

2. John Vanbiesbrouck

3. Aleksander Barkov

4. Jonathan Huberdeau

5. Robert Svehla

You can find the entire list here.

The top five did change significantly.  Barkov, who won the Frank J. Selke Trophy last year and the Lady Byng two years ago, rocketed to #3 after a #32 rank from our inaugural list.  Huberdeau, who won the Calder in 2013, and was a Second Team All-Star last year shot up to #4 from #17.

Our highest debut is Keith Yandle at #12, who just signed with Philadelphia.  The Defenseman was an All-Star in 2019.

Vincent Trocheck, who is now a Carolina Hurricane, climbed from #47 to #17.  He was an All-Star in 2017.

Right Wing, Evgeni Dadonov, who is now with St. Louis, debuts at #22.

Former backup Goalie, James Reimer, who was traded to Carolina in 2019, enters at #23.

Defenseman, MacKenzie Weeger comes in at #32.

Mike Matheson, who also plays at Defense, and is now a Penguin, enters at #33.

Mike Hoffman, a Center who is now with St. Louis, makes his first entrance at #36.

Scott Clemmensen, another Goailie, who we should have looked on our first list is at #45.

The last new entry is Mark Pysyk, a Defenseman now with Dallas is at #46.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

After finally becoming the permanent backup to Martin Brodeur in New Jersey, Scott Clemmensen joined the Florida Panthers as a Free Agent going into the 2009-10 Season.

Clemmensen was not the main man in between the pipes for the Panthers either but he had a GAA under three in all of his first three seasons in South Beach.  His best year coming in 2011-12 where over 30 Games, he had a 14-6-6 Record with a 2.57 GAA.  Clemmensen played a lot less in his last two years, especially with the arrival of Roberto Luongo, and he rejoined New Jersey in 2014.

As a Panther, Clemmensen had a record of 40-39-18 and a 2.88 GAA.

Mark Pysyk began his pro career in Buffalo, where after four years in Western New York, he was dealt to the Florida Panthers in 2016.

Pysyk, who established himself as a lockdown Defenseman, had more ample opportunity to show his skills as a Panther, and would occasionally appear as a Right Wing when needed.  The native of Alberta did not score much, but he knew his role, and performed it admirably.

He left Florida via free agency in 2020, joining the Dallas Stars. 

Mark Fitzpatrick had gone through a lot before he became a Florida Panther.  When he was playing with the Islanders, he contracted Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, a neurological disease that held him out of most of the 1990-91 Season and a large part of the 1991-92 campaign.  He came back, and was rightfully the recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Fitzpatrick, who was traded to Quebec in 1993, was promptly chosen by the Florida Panthers in the Expansion Draft, and he played for Florida for five seasons, serving as John Vanbiesbrouck’s backup.  In this period, Fitzpatrick had a respectable 43042-22 record with a 2.71 GAA, and while he only had 60 logged minutes in Florida’s shocking run to the 1996 Finals, he was part of the reason that they got there in the first place.

Due to serious issues that led to an order of protection against his fiancé, form his teammate’s (Erik Karlsson) wife, the Ottawa Senators needed to trade Mike Hoffman, and his landing place was San Jose – for two hours.  Hoffman was then traded to Florida.

Hoffman responded well to the change of scenery, breaking Pavel Bure’s team record for consecutive games with a Point (17).  He finished his first season (2018-19) with 70 Points, a personal best, and he followed that with a strong 59 Point season.  This would be the end of Hoffman’s stay as a Panther, as he signed with St. Louis as a Free Agent.

With Florida, Hoffman scored 129 Points, 65 of which were Goals. 

Mike Matheson was a First Round Pick (23^rd Overall) from Boston College, and after appearing in three Games in 2015-16, the Defenseman was in a permanent pairing as a Florida Panther.

Matheson emerged as a prototypical defender, focusing on his side of the ice.  While he would be mistake prone on occasion, he did have back-to-back 27 Point years (2017-18 & 2018-19), the former year seeing him score 10 Goals.  Traded to Pittsburgh before the 2020-21 Season, Matheson had 94 Points as a Panther.

While it can be argued that Matheson’s accomplishment as a Panther did not live up to the potential, on an expansion team with no Stanley Cups, Matheson belongs on this list.

Drafted late in the Seventh Round in 2013, Defenseman, MacKenzie Weeger plied his trade in the minors for three years, before he appeared in three Games for the Panthers in 2016-17.  Just doing that was an accomplishment considering where Weegar was selected, but he had bigger things in mind.

Weegar made the Panthers going into 2017, and for three seasons he provided steady blueline work on a deep defensive pairing. In 2020-21, Weegar had a breakout year, showing full offensive skills with 30 Assists and 36 Points in only 54 Games, and was eighth in Norris voting and second in Plus/Minus.  Weegar had 44 Points in his follow-up with a fourtheen-place in orris voting, and he was a large part of Florida's huge success in the regular season.  As good as Weegar was, the Panther sent him, along with Jonathan Huberdeau to the Calgary Flames in the off-season.

After five-and-a-half years with Toronto and a cup of coffee with San Jose, James Reimer signed with the Florida Panthers in 2016 to share the goaltending duties with Roberto Luongo.

Reimer was with the Panthers for three years, though it was his first two where he was mostly effective.  In his first year with Florida, Reimer played in 43 Games with a solid 2.53 GAA and a .920 Save Percentage.  The following year wasn’t as good, but the numbers were still respectable with a 2.99 ERA and a .913 Save Percentage.  Reimer’s play dropped off in his third year in Florida, and he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes during the offseason.

With the Panthers, Reimer had a record of 53-42-16 and a GAA of 2.85.