In a copycat league like the NHL, the 28 teams on the sidelines should be studying how the final four teams got to the conference finals. While it’s basically impossible to replicate a team’s path perfectly, there are lessons the rest of the league can take away from the success of the Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers.
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Swing big when elite talent is available
Elite talent doesn’t just show up. The best way to add it tends to be through the draft (and development) process. Rarely do elite players make it to free agency or become available via trade, so when they do, teams should jump at the opportunity to add a game-breaker. That’s what the Rangers did with Artemi Panarin, the only cost being their cap space for his hefty contract. And it’s what the Panthers did when Matthew Tkachuk became available via trade. Sure, the Panthers had to give a lot up, but they made out with the best player in the deal, who has transformed this lineup.
Adding the best available players may seem obvious but sometimes teams avoid taking such a big leap because of the risk, while the rewards tend to make it worthwhile.
Development isn’t linear
Top draft picks will always carry high expectations, and the stars who hit the ground running in the NHL can set unrealistic heights for others. While a player drafted in a particular position tends to bring a certain amount of value in their early seasons, development isn’t a straight line.
That was the case for the Rangers’ Alexis Lafrenière. It took longer than expected for him to reach impact status, but with patience, and coaches who put him in a position to succeed, he was able to get there this season. Peter Laviolette’s willingness to give Lafrenière time to cook on the right wing of Panarin’s line, despite some early struggles, was a difference-maker for him this year.
Lean on entry-level contracts and cheap deals to supplement a core
As focused as playoff teams are on the present, thinking about prospects and the future can be a key ingredient to a successful window of contention. Not only do up-and-coming players extend a playoff window, but their early years come at a discount. Entry-level contracts can be some of the most cost-effective deals in the league, which gives a team leeway to spend elsewhere.
Think about the Stars. Jamie Benn’s $9.5 million cap hit and Tyler Seguin’s $9.85 million would be back-breaking weights on the books for some teams. Wyatt Johnston’s entry-level deal helps balance that, as does Logan Stankoven’s deal instead of a deadline add (which could have required an extra asset for salary retention).
When a team doesn’t have those entry-level deals to fall back on, especially when they have big core contracts to work around, management has to find bargain-bin options. That may mean interchanging supplemental players over the years, like the Panthers had to do last offseason. But that can be the best way to maintain cap flexibility, compared to how a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs overspent on their fourth line. The best teams can spot market inefficiencies to find hidden gems for less, as Florida did with Carter Verhaeghe years ago.
Use the deadline to find a missing piece to complete a team, not jump-start it
A team shouldn’t use the trade deadline to fundamentally change its roster just weeks before the postseason. There isn’t enough time to re-balance and learn what works. That is what the offseason is for, whereas the deadline allows playoff hopefuls to add a final piece or two to complete their group.
That’s what the Stars did this year with Chris Tanev, who solidified their top four. Dallas was a fine team before the trade, but a right-handed defender was exactly what they needed. He’s delivered with an elite defensive performance that helped the Stars reach the Western Conference final.
While the Oilers’ deadline wasn’t as successful this year, last year’s addition of Mattias Ekholm was a home run. His presence has elevated Evan Bouchard and helped slot other defensem*n into more fitting roles. Ekholm’s steady play all year is a reminder that the deadline isn’t just for rentals, but for players who can contribute to multiple playoff runs.
Mattias Ekholm has been a successful trade deadline addition for the Oilers. (Bob Frid / USA Today)
Elite goaltending still matters
After the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup using five different goalies during the season, the takeaway for many was that a team can get by with average goaltending. There are two flaws with that thinking. First, Adin Hill was excellent for the Golden Knights in the playoffs. Two, not every team is built like Vegas, or the Colorado Avalanche the year prior — able to withstand average netminding. And this season has been a reminder of that for a handful of teams.
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A key reason why the Rangers have made it to this point? Igor Shesterkin, who has saved about nine goals above expected through 10 games. He has given his team a chance to win with eight quality playoff starts so far. Jake Oettinger, the Stars’ bona fide No. 1, has helped fuel their success. Sergei Bobrovsky has put up solid netminding for the Panthers over the last two years, too. If the Oilers’ goaltending becomes their undoing this round, it will drive that point home even more.
With offensive stars and shooters around the league only getting better, quality goaltending has to be stressed that much more.
A fresh start can make a difference
Gustav Forsling spent time with three NHL clubs before landing in Florida, where he has become one of the best shutdown defensem*n in the league. Brandon Montour fully hit his stride with the Panthers last season. And that’s where Sam Reinhart has played his best hockey as well.
Sometimes a player just needs a fresh start and an opportunity to thrive. If a team can maximize a player’s strengths more than their previous tenures could, even better. That’s been the case with the Panthers, who gave Forsling time to grow before throwing him into minutes against top competition. Forsling’s ability to take on matchup minutes opened up a second-pair slot for Montour to play to his offensive strengths.
The lesson? Just because a player doesn’t click on one team doesn’t mean they’re cooked. Sometimes, it’s about finding the right fit and opportunity — just like Dallas has been for Matt duch*ene, who is more fittingly deployed in middle-six minutes.
Build up lineup versatility
On paper, a team technically needs four left wings, four right wings and four centers to round out a lineup. But it helps to have options — wingers who can slot on either side of the lineup, or forwards who can shift between center and wing. That gives a team a ton of flexibility to mix and match the lines, instead of being stuck in just a few combinations.
That Johnston can shift from wing to center has helped the Stars with Roope Hintz sidelined. duch*ene, Seguin and Stankoven can, too, which gives Dallas a bunch of possibilities. The Panthers have the same in Eetu Luostarinen, who can flex down the middle, and Reinhart. Having Filip Chytil back in the lineup gives the Rangers more options as well. And Adam Henrique does the same in Edmonton, especially if the coaches want to shift Leon Draisaitl from center to Connor McDavid’s wing.
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Don’t abandon strengths when things go wrong; add to them
The 2021-22 Panthers were one of the best teams in transition in the league, which got them to the playoffs. The Washington Capitals slowed them down in Round 1 off the rush before the Tampa Bay Lightning crushed them in a sweep.
It isn’t necessarily that their playing style didn’t work in the playoffs. It was that it was their only weapon.
Sometimes, teams can get too reactionary after a playoff loss and make dramatic changes. Instead, Florida found a way to build on its strengths and become even stronger.
When coach Paul Maurice took over the next season, the Panthers didn’t entirely abandon their style. They added to their toolbox with a forecheck that served them well on their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2023 and helped fuel their impressive season this year.
(Photo: Michael Martin / NHLI via Getty Images)
Shayna Goldman is a staff writer for The Athletic who focuses on blending data-driven analysis and video to dive deeper into hockey. She covers fantasy hockey and national stories that affect the entire NHL. She is the co-creator of BehindtheBenches.com and 1/3 of the Too Many Men podcast. Her work has also appeared at Sportsnet, HockeyGraphs and McKeen’s Hockey. She has a Master of Science in sports business from New York University. Follow Shayna on Twitter @hayyyshayyy
