The Panthers have started with 3 wins out of 3, quashing any concerns about Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov’s lengthy absence. After the Barkov setback, Brad Marchand had said, “It gives an opportunity for others to step up.” And the Panthers have been doing just that. But maybe the first real test comes now – the first game on the road this season against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center. Will the defending champions feel the absence of the big names for the first time in this campaign?

That was exactly what Jim Biringer and Rob Peterson were discussing on their Cats N Bolts Podcast, a short clip of which was shared on X. Biringer listed out the qualities that the Panthers would be missing. “Guy’s who won the Selke Award back-to-back years now, two-way center. You’re talking about a physical winger that could drive play as well,” the NHL writer said.

He mentioned how influential Matthew Tkachuk had been in the Stanley Cup Finals, playing with an injury, and still scoring and making plays, despite the adductor muscle tear and sports hernia injury putting him on the operation table this off-season. Still, the Panthers had a rough idea that they would have to make do with the absence of their alternate captain for a while.

But what they weren’t prepared for was the Barkov blow right before the start of the regular season. An ACL-MCL lay-off of estimated 7-9 months means that the Panthers’ offensive depth will be truly tested. So, how is Biringer looking at it? “Look, they got (Sam) Bennett, one. They got Anton Lundell, number two,” he said. Bennett still hasn’t scored a point, but he is the Conn Smythe Trophy winner from last season. And he made it a habit of scoring on the road.

But Biringer had his focus on the No. 2. “I’ve got Lundell as a guy that you’re gonna want to break out this season,” he remarked. “He’s an offensive guy. He’s got the talent.” And he shared why Landell will be the guy the Panthers will be looking at closely this season. “I went back and looked at Anton Lundell’s scouting reports from 2020 from the NHL draft, and every scout talked about heading into the draft, his offensive ability and his two-way game.”

He is not wrong. The Panthers have been prepping him since bringing him into the organization in 2020, and the head coach sees Barkov and Lundell to be cut from the same cloth. “His foundation is a version of (Aleksander) Barkov,” Paul Maurice said during the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Well, his offensive traits haven’t been on show as Lundell has been playing in the 3rd line so far in a shutdown role. But Barkov’s lengthy lay-off changes a lot.

“We know how great he is defensively, but we’re gonna finally see his offensive output,” Biringer said. “The other night, he rang one right off the bar at the end of the first period. That is a shot I have not seen since he played in the World Juniors for Team Finland or at the World Championships. That’s how defensive-minded he’s been for the Panthers.”

Well, with the presence of players like Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, and, for the last few months, Brad Marchand, it wasn’t possible for the Finnish youngster to showcase his two-way game. But like Biringer said, this season can be this breakout year. Or at least the very least, he shows how deep the Panthers roster is as they cope with the injury crisis.

Panthers adapting to loss of Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov

The Amerant Bank Arena run has been steady. A 3-2 win on NHL Opening Night against the Blackhawks was followed by another close 2-1 win against the Flyers. But then, a big 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators has shown the Panthers are packing enough firepower. Marchand, Reinhart, and Lundell all scored. They were joined by Evan Rodrigues, Aaron Ekblad, and Mackie Samoskevich.

However, the Panthers Plan A to the injury crisis is to keep the back door shut. “We’re getting a lot of opportunities and we can score more goals, but I think we’re more concerned about the defensive side of it and making sure we don’t allow many,” the veteran said as per NHL reporter Jameson Olive’s tweet on October 10. They say offense is the best defense, but the absence of Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov constrains the Panthers. And being a tight defensive unit is just their forte.

Even as far as leadership goes, Brad Marchand is stepping up to make sure the Panthers are dialed in, not that this unit would have a lapse. Still, the 37-year-old has been a vibrant presence since he became a part of the Panthers locker room in March.

Marchand was also Anton Lundell’s linemate and had been sharing his hockey knowledge with the Finnish center. “We talk about a lot as a line, and go through some plays,” Lundell said during the playoffs last season. This mentorship has seen Lundell’s game develop, adding versatility to his effectiveness on the ice. The Panthers will get the whole regular season to evaluate the young center.