Stop mumbling at your phone. Come argue with the desk.

The FLSportsDesk Discord, open during every game.

Join the argument
← Return to FLSportsDesk.com
What changed

Panthers give Black no support in 4-0 loss to Penguins

Updated Oct 23 · 6:11 AM EDT · via Litter Box Cats

Read the reporting →
Check out Live Scores across the StateLive Statewide Scoreboard →
From The Line
The market has a number. Our models have questions.

That Number Looks Funny is the home of The Line: the full model panel, every flag, and the Ledger that grades them all in public. The FLSD House Model is 53-39-2 against the close this season.

Visit That Number Looks Funny Subscribe to the Podcast Join the Discord
Lines via Hard Rock Bet, Florida's legal sportsbook. 21+ in Florida. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
The team at a glance

Florida Panthers

Team deskFlorida PanthersFull report and sources below
CoverageCurrent reportSeason as listed by the desk
Roster entries26Full personnel board below
Report sections9Open any section for the complete evidence

From the report’s saved schedule and roster. Live game status appears in the game widget.

The quick read

What matters now

The big picture

The desk is still writing this one up. The game data and sourced reporting below are current.

Personnel

The full personnel board and sourced starting units where available.

Performance

Performance measures, baselines and supporting evidence.

What comes next

United Center · SN, TVAS, SCRIPPS, CHSN

01Team outlookThe complete editorial outlook and game-week context.
FLSportsDesk.com · Team Outlook

Team Outlook

The desk is still writing this one up. The game data and sourced reporting below are current.

The operating thesis

Back to the Cup standard

Florida is attempting to return immediately to Stanley Cup contention after injuries ended a three-Final run and produced a missed playoff season.

Next checkpoint

Sun Oct 25 · 3:00 PM ET

Chicago

02ColumnsThe voices, arguments and columns from the desk.
Panthers Desk

Columns + Game-Week Voice

The opinionated side of the desk: columns, arguments and the stories worth sitting with.

Panthers Desk · Column

Sam Reinhart Passes Barkov for the Panthers' Power-Play Goals Record

By Nick Cerbone, Editor-In-Chief · Oct 13, 2026

Sam Reinhart now owns one of the Florida Panthers' biggest scoring records. He scored twice on the power play in Monday's 5-3 loss at Buffalo, and those two goals gave him 85 power-play goals with Florida, one more than Aleksander Barkov's 84.

The night belonged to Buffalo on the scoreboard. The record belongs to Reinhart, and it came against the team that drafted him second overall in 2014 and gave him his first seven NHL seasons.

Both goals came in the second period, and both tied the game. At 6:26, with Florida on the man advantage, Reinhart tapped in a Seth Jones point shot that slipped through goalie Colten Ellis to make it 2-2. Buffalo pulled Ellis after that one. At 13:41, again on the power play, Brady Tkachuk slid a pass between his skates to Reinhart in the slot, and Reinhart buried it for a 3-3 tie. They were his first goals of the season.

That matters for more than the record book. Florida Hockey Now reported that the Panthers came into Monday with the NHL's worst power play, one goal in 28 chances. They went 2-for-4 in Buffalo, per the official game summary. Coach Paul Maurice said the units "were just way faster and got some confidence."

The record itself says a lot about how Reinhart scores. Florida Hockey Now notes that he reached 85 in 389 games with the Panthers. Barkov needed 806 games to get to 84. The official franchise leaders list, which still showed Reinhart at 83 heading into Monday, also has him holding the single-season mark, 27 power-play goals in 2023-24.

Monday was also Reinhart's 32nd multi-goal game with Florida. That moves him past Pavel Bure and Olli Jokinen into second place in franchise history, according to the Panthers. Only Barkov, with 33, has more. One more two-goal night ties the captain on that list too.

It also came at the right time, because Florida is short on its two best veteran forwards. Barkov was hurt in the second game of the season, Oct. 1 against San Jose, and is out 6-8 weeks with a lower-body injury that won't need surgery. It is a hard break for a captain who missed all of last season after right knee surgery and had just made it back. Brad Marchand's story is close to the same. He returned Oct. 4 after missing the preseason and the first two games while recovering from offseason sports hernia surgery, then hurt his left leg in his second game, Oct. 6 at Los Angeles. He is out about six weeks, with skating expected in about three. Both are aiming for a November return.

With Barkov out, Reinhart has moved from the wing to center. Maurice said there was "no issue or a lag in his thinking or processing of the game." That is a lot to carry for a player who had not scored through five games, and Monday was the first sign the goals are coming.

The rest of the night was a concern. Jacob Markstrom stopped 9 of 11 shots in the first period and did not come back for the second. Maurice said, "He just tightened up, so we pulled him," and added, "We don't think there's an injury there." Akira Schmid finished the game. Radko Gudas left in the second period after taking a hit to his right leg from Beck Malenstyn, but he was back for the start of the third. Buffalo never trailed, and Noah Ostlund and Tage Thompson scored in the third to put it away.

The loss drops Florida to 2-2-2, its second straight regulation defeat. There is no time to sit with it. The Panthers finish a back-to-back tonight at Columbus, 6:15 PM ET at Nationwide Arena. Florida Hockey Now notes that Reinhart has 14 goals and 39 points in 30 career games against the Blue Jackets, his best scoring rate against any opponent.

Anton Lundell put it simply after Monday's game: "He's born to score goals." The record is his now. Florida needs more of them while the captain is out.

Share this column
03Game center + scheduleMatchups, kickoff information and the season ahead.
regular season · Sun Oct 25 · 3:00 PM ET

at Chicago

United Center · SN, TVAS, SCRIPPS, CHSN

regular season · Tue Oct 27 · 8:00 PM ET

at Winnipeg

Canada Life Centre · SCRIPPS, TSN3

regular season · Fri Oct 30 · 7:00 PM ET

vs Winnipeg

Amerant Bank Arena · TVAS, SCRIPPS, TSN3

regular season · Mon Nov 2 · 7:00 PM ET

vs Detroit

Amerant Bank Arena · SCRIPPS, DSN

regular season · Wed Nov 4 · 7:30 PM ET

vs Chicago

Amerant Bank Arena · TNT, truTV, HBO MAX

regular season · Sat Nov 7 · 12:30 PM ET

at Washington

Capital One Arena · SN, SCRIPPS, MNMT

regular season · Sun Nov 8 · 1:00 PM ET

at Boston

TD Garden · NHLN, SN1, TVAS, SCRIPPS, NESN

regular season · Tue Nov 10 · 7:30 PM ET

at Columbus

Nationwide Arena · ESPN+, HULU, Disney+, SN

regular season · Thu Nov 12 · 7:30 PM ET

vs Detroit

Amerant Bank Arena · ESPN+, HULU, Disney+, SN+

regular season · Sat Nov 14 · 7:00 PM ET

at St. Louis

Enterprise Center · SCRIPPS, STLNHL, BN+

regular season · Sun Nov 15 · 8:00 PM ET

at Dallas

American Airlines Center · NHLN, SCRIPPS, Prime Video

regular season · Tue Nov 17 · 7:00 PM ET

vs Edmonton

Amerant Bank Arena · SN, TVAS, SCRIPPS

regular season · Sat Nov 21 · 6:00 PM ET

vs Buffalo

Amerant Bank Arena · SCRIPPS, MSG-B

regular season · Wed Nov 25 · 7:00 PM ET

vs Ottawa

Amerant Bank Arena · SCRIPPS, TSN5, RDSI

regular season · Fri Nov 27 · 3:00 PM ET

at Washington

Capital One Arena · SCRIPPS, MNMT

regular season · Sat Nov 28 · 6:00 PM ET

vs Tampa Bay

Amerant Bank Arena · SCRIPPS, The Spot

04Intelligence + availabilityTeam news, availability and what it changes.
What would convince us

Show it for more than one night

A lasting change in five-on-five play, special teams or goaltending would move the season outlook. So would a major injury or roster move. One hot shooting night will not.

05Cap + free agencyContracts, cap estimates and personnel decisions.
PuckPedia estimate

$34K projected space

22/23 roster · Projected cap space is a third-party estimate and must be rechecked after every transaction, LTIR placement, recall or assignment.

Cap mechanics

Transaction-sensitive

LTIR, recalls, assignments, bonuses and retained salary must be rechecked after every move. Cap space is not treated as a static budget.

06Roster + depthThe full personnel board and sourced starting units where available.
Forwards

16 listed

  • Aleksander Barkov#16 · C · L
  • Sam Bennett#9 · C · L
  • Lars Eller#20 · C · L
  • Jonah Gadjovich#12 · L · L
  • Garnet Hathaway#21 · R · R
More roster entries (11)
  • Bokondji Imama#14 · L · L
  • Anton Lundell#15 · C · L
  • Eetu Luostarinen#27 · C · L
  • Brad Marchand#63 · L · L
  • Cole Reinhardt#29 · L · L
  • Sam Reinhart#13 · C · R
  • Cole Schwindt#79 · R · R
  • Brady Tkachuk#8 · L · L
  • Matthew Tkachuk#19 · L · L
  • Carter Verhaeghe#23 · C · L
  • Sandis Vilmanis#95 · L · L
Defense

7 listed

  • Uvis Balinskis#26 · D · L
  • Aaron Ekblad#5 · D · R
  • Gustav Forsling#42 · D · L
  • Radko Gudas#6 · D · R
  • Seth Jones#3 · D · R
  • Dmitry Kulikov#7 · D · L
  • Niko Mikkola#77 · D · L
Goaltenders

3 listed

  • Cooper Black#31 · G · L
  • Jacob Markstrom#25 · G · L
  • Akira Schmid#40 · G · L
07Standings + rankingsThe division or conference race and national context.
Eastern ConferenceGPRecordPTSDIV
Carolina Hurricanes128-2-2181
Boston Bruins118-2-1171
New York Rangers127-4-1152
Tampa Bay Lightning97-2-0142
Ottawa Senators117-4-0143
Toronto Maple Leafs126-4-2144
New York Islanders105-3-2123
New Jersey Devils106-4-0124
Florida Panthers115-4-2125
Detroit Red Wings104-3-3116
Washington Capitals95-4-0105
Montréal Canadiens94-3-2107
Buffalo Sabres104-4-2108
Pittsburgh Penguins114-6-196
Philadelphia Flyers123-6-397
Columbus Blue Jackets83-5-068

Preseason tables never establish regular-season strength or playoff position.

08PerformancePerformance measures, baselines and supporting evidence.
Games Played82
Wins40
Losses38
Ot Losses4
Points84
Point Pct0.51219
Goals For246
Goals Against274
Power Play Pct0.195488
Penalty Kill Pct0.809524
Shots For Per Game27.9878
Shots Against Per Game26.79268
Faceoff Win Pct0.467549
09Reporting + sourcesThe reporting and source links behind the desk.
Foundation

Context sources

  • NHL.com 32 in 32

    Florida missed the 2026 playoffs after three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances; health and Brady Tkachuk drive the rebound case.

  • NHL EDGE

    Florida ranked fifth in offensive-zone time (42.2%) and ninth in five-on-five shot-attempt share (51.9%) despite missing the playoffs.

  • Associated Press

    Florida acquired Brady Tkachuk without surrendering any of its top seven scorers from 2025-26, but paid four draft picks.

Local coverage + RSS

Panthers Wire

More reporting (13)
Podcast desk

Podcast desk

  • 5-Minute Morning Skate: Panthers at Senators – Oct. 21, 2026Territory Talk / Panthers Podcast Network

    Brady Tkachuk will be the center of attention when the Florida Panthers kick off their four-game trip against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday. In five minutes or less, here's everything you need to know before puck drop.

  • Territory Talk: The Great Hat Shortage (Ep. 414)Territory Talk / Panthers Podcast Network

    Everyone in South Florida is running out of hats! Sitting at 5-2-2 in the standings, the Florida Panthers have scored four hat tricks in their last three games. On this episode of Territory Talk, co-hosts Doug Plagens and Jameson Olive discuss the team's goal-scoring outburst, Brady Tkachuk's star-earning week and more.

  • 5-Minute Morning Skate: Panthers vs. Canucks – Oct. 15, 2026Territory Talk / Panthers Podcast Network

    The Florida Panthers will look to keep on filling up the net when they kick off their two-game homestand against the Vancouver Canucks at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday. In five minutes or less, here's everything you need to know before puck drop.

  • A Hat Trick of Hat TricksPanther Pourri / Florida Hockey Now

    Win streaks! New records! Returns to form! Jacob and TJ discuss all this, plus some way too early standings watching and awards talk. Find out how a 2020 redraft fits into all this later in the episode! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  • Buffalo bests Panthers, but Brady scores a bunchPanther Pourri / Florida Hockey Now

    Buffalo outlasts Florida with their young legs, but Brady gets the last laugh in Columbus. The home opener was a bit of a disaster, and the goalies may not be healthy... but Brady Tkachuk is off and running as a Panther. Alex, Jacob, and TJ discuss the week in Panthers, Jake's bachelor party, and check the vibes around the league (Flyers and Rangers: bad. Mammoth and Oilers: good.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz co

More reporting (4)
  • The Worst Best California Road TripPanther Pourri / Florida Hockey Now

    The Panthers leave California on top of the Atlantic division... but at what cost? Jacob and TJ discuss the Panthers' strong defensive and goaltending numbers, how the power play is struggling, and the fresh injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  • Panthers Insider: Panthers & Brady Tkachuk Heating Up 10-17-26Panthers Insider / WQAM

    The Panthers get big wins with an odd schedule & Brady Tkachuk makes history.

  • Panthers Insider - Cats Keep Scoring Points 10-10-26Panthers Insider / WQAM

    The Panthers open the season on a long road trip but they get points and now a veteran team is ready for a long haul of a season that hopefully ends with them hoisting The Stanley Cup.

  • 2026-2027 Florida Panthers Season Preview ShowPanthers Insider / WQAM

    The 2026-27 Florida Panthers season preview show is here with Doug Plagens live on the West Coast. They play some postgame sound from after last night's game vs. the Anaheim Ducks. Special guest Tim Reynolds from the Associated Press joins the show as they talk about the early West Coast road trip and the roster so far without Barkov, with his injury happening on Thursday night against the Sharks. To end hour 1, Doug

status, replacement and game-plan impact

Availability Watch

Returning from injury
  • Radko Gudas RETURNING No longer listed as Day-To-Day on the ESPN injury report. (ESPN injury report, 2026-10-20)
Live from the ESPN injury report and desk reporting. Updated Fri Oct 23, 12:44 PM ET.