Cats Forecast: Giroux on board; Heading to Canada

Claude Giroux took the ice for the first time as a member of the Panthers on Tuesday.
Acquired in a pre-deadline trade with the Flyers on Saturday, Giroux, a seven-time All-Star and the MVP of the 2022 NHL All-Star Game, had a glowing smile glued to his face the moment he stepped out of the locker room and onto the ice to take part in practice at the Panthers IceDen.
But he wasn't the only one grinning.

"Everyone's excited," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said when asked about Giroux's headline-generating arrival. "He's such a great player. He did a lot in Philly. It's great, great having him here, seeing his skillset and what he's going to bring to the team. I'm very happy."
After racking up 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists) in 57 games with Philadelphia prior to being moved, Giroux, who had skated in 1,000 career games with the Flyers, immediately slotted into key spots on the right side of Florida's top line and on the top power-play unit during practice.
Already leading the league in goals (252), the Cats feel their claws just got that much sharper.
"It was fun to see him out there, seeing how the group mixed together," Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said. "It's going to be a little bit of a work in progress, but I thought it was a really good first day."
In addition to Giroux, fellow deadline acquisition Robert Hagg also made his practice debut.
"When you win, it's easy to be happy and smiling, and Florida has been winning a lot," the ex-Sabres defenseman smiled. "It's easy to come in more relaxed and have fun with each other."
The fun is only just beginning.
Holding tightly onto first place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 42-14-6, the Panthers will jumpstart their post-deadline push to the playoffs this week when they visit Montreal (Thursday), Ottawa (Saturday) and Toronto (Sunday) during an intriguing three-game trek through Canada.
Additionally, Brunette said that former Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot, another important acquisition prior to the deadline, is expected to join the Panthers once they arrive in Montreal.
"We have great guys here, on and off the ice," Barkov said. "We'll welcome them really well here." From new faces to big games, here's everything fans should keep an eye on this week.

THE GAMES

Thursday: at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. ET
The Panthers will get kick off their three-game swing through Canada with a matchup against the Canadiens (17-36-10) at Bell Centre on Thursday. Acquired at the deadline, this should be the first game Claude Giroux, Ben Chiarot and Robert Hagg play as Panthers. At the bottom of the Atlantic Division, Montreal has dropped five of its last seven games, including a 3-2 overtime loss against the Bruins on Monday. Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens in goals (17), assists (29) and points (46), while rookie Cole Caufield sits second in scoring with 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists). Splitting duties in the crease, Sam Montembeault has gone 7-13-5 with a .894 save percentage, while Jake Allen, who has started each of the last three games, is 6-16-4 with a .905 save percentage. Struggling mightily at both ends of the ice, Montreal ranks last in the NHL in goals per game (2.51) and goals against per game (3.76). For the Panthers, it would be fun to see Chiarot put up some points in this tilt. Prior to being traded last week, the veteran blueliner had spent parts of three seasons in Montreal. Heating up in the days leading up to the deadline, he had at least one point in seven of his final nine games with the Canadiens, notching two goals and seven assists in that span. In their only previous head-to-head matchup this season, the Panthers cruised to a convincing 5-2 win over Montreal at FLA Live Arena back on Jan 1.
TV & Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+ (Out of Region)
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 640 WMEN (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); SiriusXM App & Streaming 932
Saturday: at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m. ET
Opening up a back-to-back set to close out their trip, the Panthers will clash with the Senators (22-35-5) at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday. Near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, Ottawa has come up short in nine of its last 12 games and ended last week with a 5-1 loss at Montreal on Saturday. Up front, Brady Tkachuk leads Ottawa's 27th-ranked offense with 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists). Under him, three other players have crossed the 35-point mark in Tim Stutzle (37), Josh Norris (36) and Connor Brown (36). Norris also leads the team with 26 goals. In net, Anton Forsberg has established himself as the club's No. 1 netminder. In 31 appearances, he's gone 14-12-2 with a .918 save percentage. Second on the Panthers in scoring with 62 points (26 goals, 36 assists), keep an eye on Aleksander Barkov in this contest. Taking his production up a notch in recent weeks, the superstar center has recorded multi-point performances in nine of his last 16 games. After the Senators topped the Panthers 8-2 in their first meeting of the season on Dec. 14, the Panthers then rebounded to win 3-0 in a revenge game on March 3.
TV & Streaming:Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+ (Out of Region)
Radio:560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 640 WMEN (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); SiriusXM App & Streaming 932
Sunday: at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET
This is a matchup that fans have been waiting a while for. Meeting for the first time this season, two of the top teams in the Atlantic Division will finally face off when the Panthers visit the Maple Leafs (39-18-5) at Scotiabank Arena on Friday. Sitting seven points behind Florida for first place in the division, Toronto has won four of its last seven games, but wrapped up last week with a 6-3 loss at Nashville on Saturday. Fueled by their top-ranked power play (28.8%), the Maple Leafs are averaging the third-most goals per game in the league at 3.66. Auston Matthews paces the team in goals (46) and points (79), while Morgan Rielly has the most assists (43). With his 46 goals standing as the most in the league, Matthews has found the back of the net in each of his last six games. Looking to shut down that potent attack, MacKenzie Weegar should rise to the occasion for the Panthers. In addition to producing 35 points (six goals, 39 assists), the top-pairing defenseman leads the team in blocked shots (128) and ranks second in hits (147).
TV & Streaming:Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+ (Out of Region)
Radio: 790 WAXY (Dade/Broward); 640 WMEN (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); SiriusXM App & Streaming 932

MILESTONE WATCH

• Sam Bennett is two goals away from his 100th NHL goal.
  - Brandon Montour is four assists away from his 100th NHL assist.
  - Sam Reinhart is two assists away from his 200th NHL assist.
  - Carter Verhaeghe is three points away from his 100th NHL point.
  - Jonathan Huberdeau is five assists away from his 400th NHL assist.

THE GIROUX SPECIAL

Want to come cheer on Giroux this season?
We've got the offer just for you!
To celebrate No. 28 joining the Territory, fans can currently score tickets to future regular-season home games at FLA Live Arena for just $28 while supplies last until the playoffs.
Limited seats are available, so make sure to act fast by clicking HERE.

PARTY AT FUNKY

It's always more fun to watch games in a group.
When the Panthers kick off their road trip in Montreal on Thursday, fans are encouraged to head over to Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park for a watch party. With plenty of giveaways and drink specials to enjoy, fans can also take photos with Stanley C. Panther and the ROAR Corps.

See you there!

TERRITORY MEMBERSHIPS

There's no better time to support the Panthers and rep the shield.
By becoming a Territory Member, fans can receive exclusive access, unparalleled savings and memorable experiences for the 2022-23 season. With both regular and premium memberships currently available, benefits include everything from discounted merchandise to special gifts.
Territory Members also receive priority access for playoff tickets, access to members-only events and presale access to buy tickets to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in South Florida.
To learn more about Territory Memberships, click HERE.

PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT

Zachary Uens mas made the jump!
Inking a three-year, entry-level contract with the Panthers last week, the 20-year-old defenseman went straight from Merrimack to the AHL to finish his season in Charlotte.
Since then, he's already appeared in three games with the Checkers.
"Zachary is a dynamic and skilled defenseman who excels at moving the puck," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. "He showcased his competitiveness during his three seasons at Merrimack and we're looking forward to his continued growth and development."
During his three seasons suiting up at Merrimack, Uens tallied 44 points (seven goals, 37 assists) in 81 games, including posting two goals and 17 assists in 34 games in 2021-22.

CATS CLIP OF THE WEEK

"Let's get to work." Claude Giroux was brimming with excitement on his first day as a Panther.

CATS IN THE COMMUNITY

TERRITORY TALK

Associated Press reporter Tim Reynolds joined last week's episode of the Territory Talk podcast to discuss the Panthers' push toward the playoffs, the organization's growing culture and more!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

-
Total Package: Giroux 'couldn't be more excited' to join the Panthers 
-
Panthers Acquire Forward Egor Korshkov and 2022 Sixth-Round Draft Pick 
-
NOTEBOOK: Family Day at the Den; Claude is a Cat 
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Giroux, Chiarot trades send message Panthers 'all in' for Stanley Cup 
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Panthers Acquire Defenseman Robert Hagg from the Buffalo Sabres 
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5 TAKEAWAYS: Knight earns first NHL shutout in win over Ducks 
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Panthers get 'exactly the type of player we were looking for' in Chiarot 
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Pucks & Pints is coming back to FLA Live Arena on April 24