As we head towards the Trade Deadline at month’s end, and enter the stretch run of the season, a new term returns to the Panther fan lexicon: playoffs.
For the first time in years, Panther fans can look forward to the stretch with legitimate excitement. There will be no countdown to extinction, and no handwringing over draft position. Instead, there is an expectation, not just a hope, that there will be NHL hockey in South Florida beyond mid-April. It is indeed a thrilling time to root for the Florida Panthers.
Now, given this newfound success, one might be curious as to what the playoff probabilities look like for the Panthers. The short answer? Pretty damn high.
Playoff probability shines brightly upon the Panthers. Hockey-Reference.com has the Panthers at 97.7% to make the playoffs, while Micah Blake McCurdy of HockeyViz.com has them at around 95% and @DTMAboutHeart has them at 98.2%.
Furthermore, Hockey-Reference.com has the Panthers at 61.1% to win the Atlantic Division, 14.9% to win the Conference (behind only Washington at 29.0%), and, breathe deeply, 8.1% to win the Stanley Cup. That Cup probability is 5th in the league, behind Washington (18.3%), Dallas (10.3%), Chicago (9.4%), and Los Angeles (8.2%).
Now, of course, this is all just probability at this point, none of this is a guarantee of success. However, this helps illustrate how far the Panthers have come. Playoffs have not been this legitimate of a conversation since 2012. Likewise for the outlook of a division title.
No matter what happens though, enjoy this ride. It will be easy to get swept up in the mania, but take time to look around and absorb this moment. What’s unfolding with this team is starting to feel special.
