NHL Playoffs 2021: 3 reasons the Florida Panthers will win the Stanley Cup

1. Offense and defense in equal measures

The Panthers finished their regular season fourth in the league in goals scored (189; 3.36 per game) while allowing the 13th fewest goals (153; 2.70 per game). Going further, they led the league in shots per game (34.9) and were mid-pack in shots allowed (30 per game). That 4.9 shot differential (per game) was the fourth-best in the league.

There are some remaining regular-season games in the NHL, but it looks like the Panthers will easily finish with the second-most power play opportunities in the league (190). Based somewhat on that volume, their power play percentage (20.5) was only middle of the pack with the fifth-most power play goals (39). They were also in the top-10 (or bottom-10, as it were) in times being short-handed (168), but they were mid-pack in penalty kill rate (79.8 percent). Again, volume almost makes the rate secondary and the Panthers were plenty good enough killing penalties.

It’s incredibly simple, but the Panthers scored and kept the puck out of the net among the best teams in the league during the regular season. That’s a formula that always wins and easily translates in the playoffs if they can keep it up.