FORT LAUDERDALE — Four current and former Florida Panthers players rank among the NHL’s strongest Hockey Hall of Fame candidates, according to a tiered analysis by the Athletic, with former goalie Sergei Bobrovsky projected as a lock and captain Sasha Barkov not far behind.

Bobrovsky, who left the Panthers as a free agent after the two sides could not reach a new contract, is one of 15 players the Athletic projects would make the Hall of Fame if their careers ended today. His résumé includes two Stanley Cup titles with Florida and two Vezina Trophy wins with Columbus.

Barkov, 30, likely would have joined Bobrovsky in the top tier had he not missed all of last season after sustaining a right knee injury on his first day of training camp, the Athletic’s writers argued. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward and a King Clancy Award recipient for community work. With years ahead of him, Barkov has time to add to a résumé that already appears Hall-worthy.

Brad Marchand, acquired by the Panthers in 2025, won his second Stanley Cup that year and was a close runner-up for the Conn Smythe Trophy that went to Sam Bennett. Marchand played through pain much of last season before shutting things down after the NHL Trade Deadline to heal. The former Boston Bruins captain, listed in the Athletic’s third tier, has five years remaining on his Panthers contract. Florida Hockey Now reported that Marchand’s return to form this season will be central to the team’s championship hopes.

Matthew Tkachuk rounds out the Panthers’ Hall of Fame candidates in the Athletic’s “On Track” tier alongside Zach Werenski, Mitch Marner and David Pastrnak. Tkachuk holds two Stanley Cup championships and was an instrumental part of the United States’ first gold-medal Olympic hockey team since 1980. He is ranked 48th among all U.S.-born NHL players with 670 points in just 673 games — a games-played figure that ranks only No. 209, underscoring his scoring efficiency. His father Keith was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Panthers open training camp in early-to-mid September in Fort Lauderdale, with preseason play beginning Sept. 20 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Florida’s 2026-27 regular season opener is Sept. 29 at Carolina at 5 p.m. on ESPN, followed by the home opener Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild at 6 p.m.