The New Jersey Devils delivered a decisive blow to the Florida Panthers playoff hopes Tuesday night, cruising to a 5-1 victory that left the defending champions on the brink of elimination.
Fresh off his Olympic heroics, Jack Hughes continued to make his presence felt, extending his point streak to four games since returning from Milan. The dynamic forward tallied another assist, giving him four helpers in four games since the NHL resumed, and played a key role in setting the tone early.
One of those moments came when Hughes fired a shot wide that fortuitously caromed off the boards directly to Dougie Hamilton, who buried the opportunity for a goal. Hamilton added an assist as well, continuing to contribute offensively even as his name circulates in trade discussions ahead of Friday’s deadline.
Despite his production, moving Hamilton may prove difficult given his contract situation, which includes two additional years at a $9 million cap hit and a looming $7.4 million roster bonus this summer.
New Jersey also saw contributions from Cody Glass, who notched his 14th goal of the season to potentially boost his trade value, and Arseny Gritsyuk, who showcased his skill on a 2-on-1 rush by looking off Hughes before beating goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Bobrovsky was sharp early for Florida and finished with 28 saves on 31 shots, but the Panthers couldn’t keep pace as their struggles continued.
The loss adds to a troubling stretch for Florida, which has dropped three of four games since the Olympic break—all in regulation. Combined with a win by the Boston Bruins over Pittsburgh, the Panthers now sit 10 points behind the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with just 21 games remaining.
The situation grows more dire with captain Aleksander Barkov still sidelined. Head coach Paul Maurice confirmed Barkov, recovering from ACL and MCL injuries suffered during training camp, is not expected to return until at least late March.
Florida is now in danger of becoming the first defending Stanley Cup champion to miss the playoffs the following season since the Los Angeles Kings in 2014-15.
As the clock ticks down on their season, the Panthers face a must-win stretch beginning Thursday night in Columbus. Meanwhile, the Devils—despite being on the outside of the playoff race themselves—will look to carry momentum into their home matchup against Toronto on Wednesday.
