FORT LAUDERDALE – Hockey is officially back.
Five months since their last game of the 2025-26 regular season, the Florida Panthers are back in town and ready to get the new season underway.
With a roster that knows how to get the job done and new faces that come hungry for success, all eyes are on the prize.
During the team’s annual media day on Wednesday, president of hockey operations & general manager Bill Zito, head coach Paul Maurice, and various players spoke on the upcoming season.
Continue below to see what the team had to say.
Bill Zito
“I think you will feel, if you're around the group, an environment, a tension in the air, an anxiousness to get playing, an excitement to get back to the game. You feel it from the group. Everybody's excited. Everybody knows training camp is not easy. They're excited and everybody's working hard.” – On excitement for season to start
“I see it across every person in there. From Paul to Train to between and among all of the players and the staff, you see that quality, and I think they pull it out of each other.” – On leadership in the organization
“He helps all of us be better, and it's a privilege, and I can tell you, so much fun. He's so much fun to be around, and then you add in the dimension of hockey and the excitement, fun, and passion of our game, and it's a great place to be.” – On head coach Paul Maurice
Paul Maurice
“He makes you a better coach, so I missed being able to call his name.” – On Aleksander Barkov
“You're winning on those guys. Between penalty killing and what they do against, by the time you get to the playoffs, it's the top 16, usually the top 16 offensive teams in the league, they got stars. Everybody's got a version of a Barkov, right? They've got their elite player, and certainly when you get to the top eight, that's true. It's the defensemen that are going to decide whether you're a winner or a loser, and who stops the other team.” – On defensive core of the Panthers
“I'm excited about the regular season this year, and I haven't said that for three or four years. It's easy for me. It's what I do. I can't imagine how much different it is for the players to actually be excited about a game in November. We haven't felt that way in a long time, and an awareness. Just look what's happened in the East. There's a whole bunch of Stanley Cup champions coming out of the East over the last 10 years. A whole bunch of teams got better over the summer, so it's on.” – On excitement for regular season
Aaron Ekblad
“We had some time to work on our bodies and get in really good shape. You can see it up and down the lineup. Everybody looks and feels good, and there's an excitement in the room for sure.” – On the team coming back refreshed
“It's amazing. I'm so excited. I'm excited to just throw pucks up the middle of the ice, and it could be hip high or off his boots, and he'll find a way to grab it. I'm really excited to play with him again. We all know who Barky is and what he can do on the ice, so it's going to be special to see him fly around.” – On playing Aleksander Barkov returning from injury
“They're like a constant show. It's like we've got our own podcast in the room as well. They're the best. I've grown to love Matthew, and everything he's done for this franchise is incredible. He's a family man. He's a philanthropist, and he does all of the little things right, and I know that Brady follows in his footsteps closely, so really excited to get to play with him.” – On Tkachuk brothers
Sam Reinhart
“It seems like a lot of guys put in that work and are as motivated as ever to start again and get back to where we want to be. Certainly, you look around the roster and see some guys back healthy again. Some additions to the roster, it's exciting. It only motivates us. We're looking forward to getting on the ice tomorrow.” – On the start of the season
“A lot of what you do in that preparation when you're not on the ice is what gives you that opportunity to be at your best. As athletes, that's what we take pride in. To have that opportunity again this summer was pretty exciting.” – On being able to take advantage of summer
“When you think of Radko, first and foremost, he's one of the best people that anyone's kind of been around in the game. To bring that back in the locker room is always going to be important. The business we're in, you lose guys and gain guys so often. He's one of the guys that that disappointment lingers a lot longer than most, just with the person and player he is and presence on and off the ice. That's an important piece back.” – On Radko Gudas returning to the Panthers
Aleksander Barkov
“I feel great. Excited to be back, and just to see my teammates and get it going again with them. It's going to be fun.” – On returning this season from injury
“Right now, we have a great chance to bounce back after last season. We're all concentrated on that. We want to be better. So, of course, we take everything that we've learned over the last years. We accomplished a lot here, but we only take it as a fuel to move forward.” – On motivation for upcoming season
“He is only going to get better and better and that's what excites me about him. He's an unbelievable player already and there's no signs of him stopping getting better.” – On Anton Lundell’s growth
Brady Tkachuk
“I think it's a unique experience for everybody. Everybody's got to go through it, shorter camp than what we've expected and what we've gone through in the past. For me, it's just about my focus level, try to bring the intensity as best I can. It's a whole new system, whole new setting. For me, it's going to try to be my best every single day and just be a sponge and learn as much as possible.” – On having a shorter training camp
“Just kind of seeing it from the outside, looking in and just how close everybody is. Now just being here, it's truly a family feel and everybody, not just the players, but their families, everybody's close, everybody lives, for the most part, right near each other.” – On the tight bonds of the Panthers
“It probably didn't hit until we were flying down here that this is real life. It still doesn't feel real. It still feels like I’m living a dream. I'm just excited for the whole group to get out there tomorrow. Next thing you know, we're playing our first preseason game. I feel like that will hit when we put that jersey on for the first time and going on the ice and competing. That's going to be a special feeling.” – On the feeling of being a Panther
Matthew Tkachuk
“He's been here for like a month, but it feels like he's been here for about 5-10 years. It's honestly a very similar feeling that I had 4 years ago…. I mean, from an outsider, he looks at least very comfortable here already. That's always huge going into the season, especially on a new team. I know he's just going to do great.” – On Brady Tkachuk adapting to the Panthers
“We just have so many leaders on our team, so many competitors, so many physical players. On any given night, there’s going to be no shortage of Panthers style hockey.” – On having a lineup of ‘Panther style’ players
“I'm small on our team right now. Like, it's crazy. All the guys we brought in are all big, heavy guys that, you know, can skate, forecheck, protect the puck well. It's just crazy. We're a big team.” – On new additions to the Panthers
