The Florida Panthers have definitely had an interesting start to the 2026-27 season.
From losing two of their star players to injury to setting records at an astronomical pace, there's been a whirlwind of events already.
Let's take a look back at the 8-4-1 start, before the Panthers try to go forward:
* It all started against Carolina, as the Hurricanes raised their Stanley Cup championship banner. Florida won a tense battle in overtime. The road trip continued with overtime losses in San Jose and Anaheim, and a win against the Kings -- but at a heavy cost, the injury to Sasha Barkov in San Jose that, at first, appeared as if it could end his season. This time, though, the worst was averted, with a diagnosis a few days later that had him missing a few weeks. No surgery. Not ideal, but not devastating.
Sep 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) talks to left wing Brady Tkachuk (8) during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
* The injury bug didn't stop after stinging Barkov. That was followed by Brad Marchand's own knee buckling, unable to put any weight on it as teammates helped him off the ice; again, the worst was initially feared. (Both Marchand and Barkov are already skating and are expected back well before Christmas). And the goaltender who had started to find his form,Jacob Markstrom, got hurt also. That happened in practice when he was hit by a puck and is still about a week away from returning. But in all cases, the Panthers have found solutions Akira Schmid has filled in well in net, and the Panthers have shuffled lines to generate enough scoring, except for a couple of nights. The resourcefulness should make for a much more seamless process when those three make their returns.
* Who has picked up the slack most? The Tkachuk brothers. Prior to the season, Coach Paul Maurice said it wasn't his intention to play them regularly together, at least not at even strength. Was he serious? It's tough to say with him, but he did start with Brady and Matthew on separate lines. But they weren't really gelling with their linemates and, after the Barkov and Marchand injuries, Maurice couldn't wait. When he put them together, not surprisingly the chemistry was immediate. This continues to be Maurice's signature decision of the young season. Fans are enjoying it too. It's been fun to hear the announcers saying "Brady Tkachuk assisted by his brother Matthew" (which has mostly been the case) or vice versa. It's undeniable that these brothers are meant to play together. Not only do they score goals and contribute to assists, but they're also not afraid to throw down with an opponent and let them know that they will defend their teammates at any given moment.
Oct 30, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brady Tkachuk (8) looks on against the Winnipeg Jets during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
* As the Panthers have improved their team record, they've set or tied some individual franchise ones. Matthew Tkachuk reached 200 career assists in only 255 games; he also tied Barkov and Anton Lundell's single-game assist record (five). Cooper Black also became the tallest NHL goalie to debut in a game in the NHL at 6 feet 9 inches tall. (The previous record was set by Ben Bishop, Mikko Koskinen, Ivan Fedotov, and Mads Sogaard, who were all 6 feet 7 inches tall.). Brady Tkachuk became only the third player in NHL history, and the first in 40 years to record natural hat tricks in consecutive games. And Lundell closed out the Panthers' October slate with the team's fifth hat trick already; the Panthers forwards have shown they can score in bunches.
Overall, October has been a fun, if challenging, month for Florida -- and once Barkov and Marchand come back, it should get even better.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/panthers/onsi as How the Florida Panthers Survived October .
