Niko Mikkola

Florida Panthers Roster Preview: Defensemen pt. 1

Over the course of the last two years under HC Paul Maurice, the Panthers have become one of the best if not the best defensive team in the NHL. Transitioning away from the high-scoring offense that won them the President’s Trophy they’ve been more focused on suppressing opposing offenses. This style of play has served […]

Opinion: Florida Can Go Back-To-Back As Stanley Cup Champions & Here’s Why

As the Florida Panthers spend the summer celebrating their Stanley Cup win, it begs the question: Can they repeat as Cup Champions? I think they can, as their roster is still extremely strong despite losing some pieces to free agency. The core forwards that were up for contract Zito locked up long-term, ensuring little change […]

Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers Game 2 Recap | 06/11/2024

Chaotic and vicious are the only ways to describe what happened during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. It was a game that left a bad taste in both fan bases’ mouths but for very different reasons. Edmonton fans were upset over the lack of the Oilers’ scoring and missed calls, while Florida fans […]

NHL Playoffs: Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins Game 2 Recap | 05/08/2024

A rather disastrous Game 1 left a lot to be desired from the Panthers’ playoff game and the opportunity to improve in Game 2. Well, Florida flipped the script quite literally in Game 2 on Wednesday night, with Boston scoring the opening goal in the first period and then the Cats scoring six unanswered goals […]

NHL Playoffs: Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Game 5 Recap | 04/29/2024

Back in Sunrise after splitting the games in Tampa, the Panthers looked to rebound and close out the series. Still no Bennett or Lomberg for Florida, so HC Paul Maurice rolled with the same lines as Games 3 & 4. The series win is notoriously the hardest game to win, and a reset for the […]

Florida Panthers Deep Dive Recap: 04/09-13/2024

Florida returned home after a mixed bag of a final road trip that saw them lose three out of the four games. The last four games would get to be played at home with Ottawa, Columbus, and Buffalo this week, and the final game of the regular season against Toronto on Tuesday. While the Panthers […]

Florida Deep Dive Recap: 04/01-04/03/2024

Florida started its final road trip this week, having clinched a playoff spot last week. Currently, the Panthers are in second place in the Atlantic Division behind the Boston Bruins. The first half of this road trip has already been disappointing for fans to watch as there’s been inconsistent play as well as the team […]

Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins Recap: 03/26/2024

The Atlantic Division showdown for first place didn’t disappoint Tuesday night. Florida took on the Boston Bruins at home in what could be a preview of a Playoff Series in a month’s time. It’s no secret that there’s no love lost between these teams, especially after how the playoffs ended last season for Boston. Florida […]

Florida Panthers Deep Dive Recap: 03/12-03/16/24

Florida had a tough three games this week against playoff-caliber teams. This week wasn’t the Panthers’ best performance as they dealt with injuries as Aaron Ekblad is still out and then the Cats were playing without both Evan Rodrigues and Sam Bennett. Missing those pieces showed in the team chemistry and how Florida spent the […]

New York Rangers Sneakily Get Better, Are Built for Playoffs

Compared to others in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers had a relatively quiet 2024 trade deadline. The additions of Alex Wennberg, Jack Roslovic, and Chad Ruhwedel filled some widely publicized gaps in the lineup but did not register on the excitement meter like some of the rumored trades would have. They were rumored […]