The Florida Panthers conquered consecutive Stanley Cups and are showing no signs of easing up any time soon. Following the extensions of Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Sam Bennett, a former NHL All-Star blueliner voiced a strong warning to the rest of the league.
Not many gave the Panthers a chance. It seemed like the odds of re-signing the trio of key unrestricted free agents were extremely thin. They may have been, yet Florida general manager Bill Zito made it happen.
Now, the league has been put on notice: a dynasty is brewing in Broward County. The Panthers have cleared the hurdle of the NHL’s salary cap, and it’s up to the rest of the league to find a way to slow down their dominant run. Marchand, Ekblad, and Bennett are in Florida to stay, and the team’s foundation is set in stone for the long-haul.
The rest of the league is now facing scary hours. Former NHL defenseman Keith Yandle didn’t mince words about the Panthers’ ceiling in the upcoming seasons. On that note, he made something clear about the advantage the Cats have over everybody else.
Aaron Ekblad #5 of the Florida Panthers against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period in Game Seven of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 18, 2025.
“These guys have bought in. It’s special to watch. I think they are going to be a real issue for the other 31 teams for the next seven, eight years, or however long [Aleksander Barkov] and those guys are there,” Keith Yandle said about the Panthers on the Spittin Chiclets podcast.
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The Sunshine State
Much talk has circled around the Panthers and the benefits of playing in a no-income tax state. After Marchand, Bennett, and Ekblad all took big discounts off their new contracts, the buzz surrounding the organization and the state of Florida only grew louder. However, there are several other factors that also play a role and Yandle made sure to put on the table.
“[Ekblad] took a huge hometown discount. Obviously, they are still being paid handsomely,” Yandle added. “But, it’s one of those things, when you get to go home from the rink and the sun’s out, you can go play golf, get away from the game a little bit. You don’t really have any bad days, everyone’s in a good mood. A lot of it has to do with living down there.”
Sam Bennett #9 of the Florida Panthers looks on after scoring during the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena on May 11, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
Here come the Leafs
After losing to Florida in seven games, the Toronto Maple Leafs seemingly grew fond of every available player on the Panthers. Toronto hoped to sign one—or more—of the pending free agents in Sunrise, yet not one of the three top candidates became available. However, when one door closes another opens, and that might have just happened for the Leafs.
With the salary cap breathing down their necks, the Panthers have little choice but to part ways with a cap casualty. And the Maple Leafs are reportedly ready to pounce on the opportunity.
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Forward Evan Rodrigues is expected to be on the move, and the Leafs are among the teams linked to him, according to insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. They aren’t alone, though — the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, and Chicago Blackhawks are also reportedly in the mix.
