As Panthers continue high-scoring ways, multiple players are having career-best seasons
The Florida Panthers’ offense has been one of the best in the NHL all season.
Through games played Tuesday, Florida is averaging a league-best 4.12 goals per game, with the scoring is coming from up and down the lineup. Ten players have at least 30 points. Nine have scored at least 10 goals.
With that, career seasons are happening up and down the lineup — from the superstars to the up-and-comers.
“We’re kind of blessed with as many good players as we have,” interim coach Andrew Brunette said after Tuesday’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins that kept the Panthers (39-13-5) in first place in the Atlantic Division. “It’s a luxury to have.”
In total, the Panthers have 11 players who have recorded at least 10 points in a season prior ... who either have set or are on pace to set single-season best marks in goals, assists, points or a combination of the three.
Here is a look at those eleven.
Jonathan Huberdeau
Huberdeau’s 60 assists lead the NHL, with no other player having more than 50 through games played Tuesday. He’s well on his way to breaking his previous single-season best of 62 assists set in the 2018-2019 season. Huberdeau also had a career-high 92 points that season, a mark he also has a chance to break considering he already has 78 points this season.
Aleksander Barkov
While it’s unlikely that Barkov breaks his single-season marks in goals, assists or points, he has a chance to break his personal-best marks on a per-game basis. Barkov has 26 goals and 57 points in 44 games played this season — an average of .59 goals and 1.30 points per game. His current single-season best marks in those categories are .5 goals per game (25 goals in 50 games during the 2020-2021 season) and 1.17 points per game (a franchise-record 96 points in 82 games during the 2018-2019 season).
Sam Reinhart
Compared to the rest of his teammates, Reinhart still has some work to do over the final 25 games to set personal best single-season marks. Through Tuesday, Reinhart has 19 goals, 35 assists and 54 points. His career bests are 25 goals (set in the 2017-2018 season and matched in the 2020-2021 season), 43 assists (set in the 2018-2019 season) and 65 points (also set in the 2018-2019 season).
Aaron Ekblad
Ekblad, a contender for the Norris Trophy given annually to the NHL’s best defenseman, already had a career-high 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists), but he is one goal and one assist shy of matching his career-best marks in both categories. Ekblad scored 16 goals in the 2017-2018 season and recorded 36 assists in the 2019-2020 season.
Anthony Duclair
Duclair’s 23 goals and 44 points are tied for his career-highs in both categories — the goals total was set in 2019-2020 in 66 games with the Ottawa Senators. The 44 points was done in 81 games with the Arizona Coyotes in the 2015-2016 season. Duclair hit both those marks in 48 games this games.
Carter Verhaeghe
Verhaeghe’s game-winning goal on Tuesday was his 18th of the season. That ties his career-high for goals in a season that he set last season, his first with the Panthers. Verhaeghe’s 44 points this season are already the most he has ever recorded in a season.
Sam Bennett
Bennett’s 24 goals this season are already a career-high. His 36 points match his previous career-high set during the 2015-2016 season.
MacKenzie Weegar
Weegar has six goals and 29 assists this season. His career high for goals is seven in the 2019-2020 season. His career high for assists is 30, set in the 2020-2021 season.
Mason Marchment
Marchment, with 13 goals and 21 assists in 32 games, has already obliterated his previous season highs (two goals, eight assists) set last season despite playing one less game to this point.
Brandon Montour
Montour has 24 points this season — six goals and 18 assists. He set all of his career-best marks — nine goals, 23 assists, 32 points — during the 2017-2018 season while with the Anaheim Ducks.
Gustav Forsling
Forsling’s 21 assists and 23 points are already the most he has ever had in a single season. The defenseman also has two goals, three shy of his career-high of five set last season.
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