FORT LAUDERDALE — Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice plans to open the 2026-27 season with newly acquired Brady Tkachuk on the top line alongside Sasha Barkov and Sam Reinhart, a combination that could give the club one of the most formidable forward trios in the NHL, Florida Hockey Now reported.
Maurice said he wants to see how a new player reacts to playing with Barkov before making further adjustments. The move means the much-anticipated pairing of Brady and Matthew Tkachuk — the Tkachuk brothers — will wait, at least initially. Brady and Matthew Tkachuk are expected to share the ice on the top power play, and Maurice could eventually slot both onto a line with Sam Bennett.
The second line projects as Carter Verhaeghe, Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk — a unit that has played together over the past few seasons and carries no learning curve. Florida Hockey Now noted the Panthers would like more regular-season production from Verhaeghe, and an early runway with Matthew Tkachuk could help him get going.
The third line of Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand emerged during the 2025 playoff run and gave every opponent problems. Marchand was Florida’s leading scorer before lingering injuries kept him from finishing that season. General manager Bill Zito said Marchand should be ready for the start of training camp without needing offseason surgery, though the question of how many games the Panthers can get out of No. 63 lingers. Load management could factor in as the season progresses.
A projected fourth line of Cole Reinhardt, Lars Eller and Garnet Hathaway rounds out what Florida Hockey Now described as “perhaps, the strongest top-9 in the NHL.” Eller and Hathaway are veteran offseason pickups, while Reinhardt, Sandis Vilmanis and Cole Schwindt are competing for roster spots. Jonah Gadjovich, who missed most of last season with a nagging injury, remains a question mark; Zito said the Panthers’ past injuries are behind them.
On defense, Gus Forsling and Aaron Ekblad anchor the top pair after excelling together over the past few years. Niko Mikkola and Seth Jones — another pairing forged during the 2025 playoffs — slot in as the second duo, bringing size and speed. Radko Gudas and Dmitry Kulikov form the third pair, though Uvis Balinskis and Donovan Sebrango could rotate in, with the Panthers potentially carrying only 13 forwards to avoid exposing Sebrango to waivers.
In goal, the Panthers addressed their vacancy by trading for Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid in two deals completed within roughly 12 hours before free agency opened. Markstrom posted nine shutouts and a plus-26.1 goals saved above average during the 2021-22 season, but that figure dropped to minus-18.4 the following year and sat at minus-13.7 last season, when less than half his starts were quality ones. The Panthers are banking on a turnaround behind their defensive corps and goaltending coach Robb Tallas, with Roberto Luongo’s goalie department having helped design the plan.
The Panthers open preseason play Sept. 20 against the Carolina Hurricanes, with training camp set for early-to-mid September in Fort Lauderdale and the 2026-27 regular season beginning in late September.