Eight Panthers players back from 4 Nations as Kraken visit

Not everyone on the Florida Panthers is quite well-rested as the team gets set to return to the ice on Saturday night to host the Seattle Kraken in Sunrise, Fla.

Florida had an NHL-high eight players compete in the 4 Nations Face-Off, which concluded on Thursday with Canada defeating the United States 3-2 in overtime.

But the Panthers -- as a unit -- haven't played since beating Ottawa 5-1 on Feb. 8. Prior to this two-week break, the Panthers were on an 8-3-0 roll, which vaulted them to the top of the Atlantic Division.

"I think we've been feeling good about our game," Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said.

But Tkachuk, who ranks second on the Panthers in goals (22), assists (35) and points (57), suffered a lower-body injury during the tournament. Coach Paul Maurice said he doesn't expect Tkachuk to play Saturday.

Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett, who helped deliver a victory for Canada, should be good for Saturday. Reinhart leads Florida in goals (31) and points (62). Bennett is third on the Panthers in goals (18) and sixth in points (35). Florida's two top-scoring defensemen are Aaron Ekblad (26) and Gustav Forsling (21).

In goal, the Panthers are expected to start Sergei Bobrovsky (23-12-2). He has a .902 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average.

Florida beat host Seattle 2-1 in a shootout on Dec. 10 in the teams' first meeting this season.

The Kraken, who start the post-break part of the season 11 points out of playoff position, are 11-15-0 on the road. They are also 4-5-1 in their past 10 games.

Goalie Joey Daccord has probably been Seattle's MVP so far this season, sporting a 19-14-3 record with a .915 save percentage and a 2.49 GAA.

Daccord, whose five-year, $25 million contract extension kicks in next season, ranks third in the NHL with 20.4 goals saved above expected. He also ranks sixth in save percentage and ninth in GAA.

For perspective, Kraken backup goalie Philipp Grubauer is 5-15-1 with a 3.83 GAA and an .866 save percentage.

Seattle's top defenseman is Brandon Montour, who spent nearly four years with the Panthers, including a breakout 2022-2023 season in which he scored 16 goals and dished 57 assists -- both career highs.

However, Montour is questionable for Saturday due to an upper-body injury.

Up front, the Kraken are led by Jared McCann, who tops the team with 42 points. Chandler Stephenson leads Seattle with 30 assists, and Jaden Schwartz is No. 1 in goals (18).

Most intriguing for Seattle is its group of young forwards that includes Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and Kaapo Kakko.

Kakko, 24, was the second overall pick in the 2019 draft. But he failed to fully develop with the New York Rangers, who traded him to Seattle in December. After producing just 14 points in 30 games with the Rangers, he has 17 points in 24 games with Seattle.

Wright, 21, was the fourth overall pick in 2022. He spent most of his first two pro seasons in the minors, playing a total of just 16 NHL games.

This season, however, Wright has turned it around. Over his past 36 games, he has recorded a team-high 29 points.

Playing on Seattle's third line, Wright is the NHL's scoring leader among players averaging 14 minutes or fewer per game.

"Shane continues to grow and get better," Seattle coach Dan Bylsma said. "He does provide a lot of hope."

--Field Level Media