Barkov, Luongo highlight Panthers’ NHL quarter-century team

The best players from one of the NHL’s Sun Belt franchises over the past 25 years have been revealed.

The league has begun rolling out its multi-phased celebration, honoring the best players for each of the 32 franchises, including the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.

Unsurprisingly, a good contingent of players on the teams are ones who lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup last spring, especially on the First Team.

Longtime teammates Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad lead the charge. Barkov has been one of the franchise’s best players since he debuted in 2013. He is the franchise leader in goals (277), assists (468) and points (745), captaining the team to the Cup. Ekblad is regarded as the best defenseman in the team’s history. The former first-overall pick is the all-time leader in goals (117), assists (250) and points (367) among defensemen.

Matthew Tkachuk was a key player added that helped get the Panthers over the hump. After coming to Sunrise via trade with the Calgary Flames in 2022, the former London Knight gave the team some needed bite along with offensive talent, helping Florida win it all. The man he was traded for, Jonathan Huberdeau, became one of the best playmakers in the NHL during his tenure with the team, leaving the Panthers second in franchise history in goals (198), assists (415) and points (613).

Gustav Forsling might go down as one of the greatest waiver pickups of all time. Florida claimed him off the wire from the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021, quickly moving up the depth chart to being an All-Star caliber blueliner.

Roberto Luongo is unquestionably the best goaltender in franchise history. Despite not bringing the team a championship as a player, the 11-year Panther is the team’s all-time leader in appearances (572), wins (230) and shutouts (38).

A couple of players from the Stanley Cup championship team are combined with players from earlier in the century on the Second Team.

Sergei Bobrovsky was masterful in the team’s back-to-back run to the Finals, showing the talents that made him a Vezina Trophy winner. Up front, Sam Reinhart went on a goal-scoring spree last season, potting an incredible 57 goals during the 2023-24 campaign.

Pavel Bure was one of the most electric players in hockey history and kept Florida on the map in the early 2000s. While his tenure with the team was short, he certainly made his mark, winning back-to-back Rocket Richard Trophies after scoring 58 goals during the 1999-00 season, potting a franchise-record 59 goals the following year.

Olli Jokinen was an exceptional player during some lean years for the Cats, and he is third in the team’s history in goals (188) and points (419).

Robert Svehla was one of the key figures on the team in their first run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996, with his tenure with the franchise lasting until he was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2002. Jay Bouwmeester might be remembered for his tenure with the St. Louis Blues, but the soft-spoken blueliner established himself in South Beach. Over six seasons with the Panthers, he nearly averaged 25 minutes per game, ranking third among Florida blueliners this century with 203 points.