Panthers season preview: Better start key to playoff push

The 2018-19 NHL season begins Oct. 4. With training camps open, NHL.com is taking a look at the five keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lines for all 31 teams. Today, the Florida Panthers.

Coach: Bob Boughner (second season)
Last season:44-30-8; fourth place Atlantic Division
RELATED: [Complete Season Preview coverage]

5 KEYS

1. Avoid slow start

The Panthers' 96 points last season were tied for the most in NHL history by a team that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs (2014-15 Boston Bruins). Their 25 wins after the All-Star break led the NHL, and their 52 points (25-8-2) tied the Nashville Predators for the most. But they couldn't overcome their 19-22-6 start.
"The one good thing that we have in our favor is last year there was a lot of turmoil the year before I got in," Boughner said. "There were a lot of questions, and I had to build that trust and relationship with players, and they had to learn my systems. This year is different. Everybody should be comfortable in those systems, and there shouldn't be a ton of learning. We should be able to hit the ground running here."

2. Luongo lasting

Goalie Roberto Luongo showed last season that he has plenty of good hockey left, finishing with a .929 save percentage that was the second best of his 18-season NHL career. But the reality is Luongo will turn 40 on April 4 and injuries limited him to an average of 36 starts the past two seasons. James Reimer is a solid backup, but the Panthers need Luongo to stay healthy and play at a high level.

3. Tighten up on defense

The Panthers allowed an average of 34.6 shots per game, third most in the NHL last season. One way to keep their goalies fresh is to cut down on the number of shots they face. The hope is the addition of defenseman Bogdan Kiselevich, who signed a one-year contract June 1, can help in that area. The 28-year-old was plus-21 in 44 games with CSKA in the Kontinental Hockey League last season.

4. Better balance offensively

The Panthers got good production from their top two lines in 2017-18 and should expect the same this season. But they need more contributions from the third and fourth lines, an issue throughout last season. After the projected top six of Vincent Trocheck, Aleksander Barkov, Evgenii Dadonov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad and Mike Hoffman, their most productive forward from last season is Jamie McGinn who had 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) and is out indefinitely following Sept. 14 back surgery. Better production from the bottom two lines would help ease the pressure on the top forwards.

5. Steady progress from nucleus

The Panthers have built their team mostly through the NHL Draft, and their core players, among them forwards Barkov, Trocheck, Huberdeau and Bjugstad, and defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Mike Matheson, must take that next step for the playoffs to be a possibility. Barkov was named captain Sept. 17, a clear indication they're expecting him to lead the way.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

With McGinn out, there's an opening among the bottom-six forwards. Among those competing for a roster spot is Troy Brouwer, who signed a one-year contract Aug. 27. The 33-year-old had 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 76 games last season with the Calgary Flames, but they bought out the final two years of his contract Aug. 3. Brouwer feels he can contribute in several areas and be a veteran mentor.
"I know this team is a really young and talented team," he told the Panthers website. "For me, it's just to support and help out in situations that I excel in."

Most intriguing addition

The Panthers are confident that Hoffman, who was acquired in a trade from the San Jose Sharks on June 19, was the missing piece offensively. He should play in the top-six forward group and contribute on the power play; his 30 power-play goals for the Ottawa Senators the past three seasons were tied for 13th in the NHL.
"We were missing a true top-six forward last year, and I think Hoffman is really going to fit that bill," Boughner said. "Where that's going to make us better is I think we're going to be deeper on our third and fourth lines, which is really important."

Biggest potential surprise

Owen Tippett
, the No. 10 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, is back for his second training camp and faces a tough battle to earn a roster spot. He has made strides with his defensive play, but what he could bring to the Panthers is perhaps the best shot in the organization. He started last season with the Panthers and had one goal in seven games before being returned to his junior team, Mississauga of the Ontario Hockey League, where he scored 36 goals in 51 games. He finished the season with two points (one goal, one assist) in five games with Springfield of the American Hockey League.

Ready to break through

Henrik Borgstrom, selected in the first round (No. 23) in the 2016 NHL Draft, scored one goal in four games with the Panthers last season after signing his entry-level contract March 26. He had 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) in 40 games as a sophomore at the University of Denver and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in NCAA men's hockey. He's a gifted offensive player who could be the leading candidate to start the season as the third-line center.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Evgenii Dadonov -- Aleksander Barkov -- Nick Bjugstad
Jonathan Huberdeau -- Vincent Trocheck -- Mike Hoffman
Frank Vatrano -- Henrik Borgstrom -- Troy Brouwer
Maxim Mamin -- Jared McCann -- Colton Sceviour
Keith Yandle -- Aaron Ekblad
Mike Matheson -- Bogdan Kiselevich
Ian McCoshen -- Mark Pysyk
Roberto Luongo
James Reimer