Panthers Should Rest Up Injured Players Until the Playoffs

The Florida Panthers are one of the strongest teams in the league, ranked second in the Atlantic Division behind the Boston Bruins with a record of 45-19-4 and 94 points.

However, they were shut out by the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, 4-0, and one major factor in that loss was their lack of depth. They were missing two forwards, Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues, while defenseman Aaron Ekblad was out with an injury. Regardless of how severe those ailments are, it’d be smart to rest them until the postseason.

Unofficially, Panthers Are Going to the Playoffs

Florida has a huge gap between second in the Atlantic Division and the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. That gap is a whopping 19 points ahead of the Washington Capitals.

Related: Panthers Get Veteran Help with Kyle Okposo Trade

According to Money Puck, the Panthers have a 100% chance of making the playoffs. So, unless they drop all of their remaining games, they are a lock for getting into the postseason.

Aaron Ekblad Needs to Sit, Given His Injury History

Ekblad suffered a lower-body injury against the Calgary Flames on March 9 when he collided with forward Vladimir Tarasenko. His timetable is at least two weeks, but it could be a little longer, depending on the severity of his knee injury.

Given his injury history, especially knee injuries, resting him until the postseason is the right play. If he’s out for the start of Round One, the team will be without a crucial piece of their defensive structure. Since he’s been sidelined, the Panthers have allowed seven goals in two games. A performance like that in the playoffs could be catastrophic to what’s been an excellent season for them.