There isn't a more fitting opponent for the Carolina Hurricanes to raise their Stanley Cup banner and open the new season against than the Florida Panthers. It was such an obvious idea that I was worried the NHL wouldn't give it to us. Alas, over three months after standing atop the mountain, the 2026-27 season is finally getting underway as rivals collide in Raleigh.
The group features hardly any changes. Charles Alexis Legault is expected to make his first Opening Night roster on defense. Otherwise, it's almost the same team that won the Stanley Cup against Vegas in June. The group looked like a well-oiled machine during their final preseason tune-up, smashing the Predators 6-0 behind big games from the second line and a Brandon Bussi shutout.
The Panthers won two of the three meetings during the regular season in 2025-26, completing a big comeback in Sunrise and dominating the Canes at the Lenovo Center four days apart before Christmas. However, the matchup that most people remember is Carolina's 9-1 victory in Raleigh, spearheaded by Nikolaj Ehlers' first hat trick as a Hurricane.
Behind Enemy Lines: Florida Panthers
The two-time defending champions failed to make the postseason in 2026, thanks in large part to injuries, which ravaged their lineup all season. It began with Aleksander Barkov getting hurt during the preseason, and it only spiraled from there. It brought an end to their three-year Stanley Cup Finals streak, allowing the Canes to step in and win in their place.
This offseason, the Panthers focused on getting bigger and meaner. With a longer summer, they were aggressive. Their biggest move saw them reunite Brady Tkachuk with his brother in a trade with Ottawa that is still being talked about. They also let Sergei Bobrovsky walk, acquiring Jacob Markstrom from the Devils for his second stint in Sunrise, and the same goes for Radko Gudas.
Having an extra two months to heal and prepare has made the Panthers one of the favorites, if not the odds-on favorite, to win the Eastern Conference this season. Of course, the Canes and several others will have something to say about that. Still, it's hard to deny how imposing this team appears on paper, and we saw glimpses of that during their two preseason encounters.
Injury Report
Both teams will be without important wingers to begin the season. The Hurricanes are without leading goal scorer Seth Jarvis as he recovers from shoulder surgery. He's been on the ice with the team in a yellow, no-contact sweater since the start of training camp and is, in the words of the team, ahead of schedule, but the Canes aren't going to rush him back without knowing he's fully healthy.
Meanwhile, the Panthers will miss Brad Marchand for the first month of the season. It has been reported that he'll spend October rehabbing a lower-body injury, so a November return could be on the table for him. Jonah Gadjovich is also on the shelf, recovering from neck surgery, which cost him almost all of last season. There's no timetable for his return, per Paul Maurice.
Players to Watch
Aleksander Barkov: For as many talented players as there are in Florida's lineup, there is no way that they can replace their captain. Barkov is one of the best two-way centers in the world, and the Panthers missed him dearly all season. Now, he's back and healthy, giving this group hope that they'll be right back where they expect to be in April and beyond.
Brady Tkachuk: After two excellent performances against the Canes' younger lineups during the preseason, Tkachuk will face the same team that he met in the first round of the playoffs with the Senators. He didn't record a point in that series, but he dropped the gloves with Jordan Staal. He's in a new situation now, one much better than in Ottawa, but it comes with more eyes on him.
Eric Robinson: After changing things up on us during the preseason finale, it appears that Robinson playing on the top line is a legitimate unit that the Canes will try to begin the season with. I've highlighted how spots like this have benefited Robinson as a Hurricane, so this is an incredible opportunity. Expectations will be very high for him next to Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov.
Nicolas Deslauriers: Of course, I could spend time talking about how I'm focusing on all of the Canes' top scorers, and sure I am. However, Deslauriers is in the lineup for a reason, and everyone knows it. The fourth line won't play a ton, but the big guy is going to insert himself into this game somehow. Don't be surprised if there are some early fireworks in Raleigh.
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