The Florida Panthers saw a resurgence in 2017-18, led by the dynamic Aleksander Barkov and a talented young forward group. While they sent two-thirds of a top line to Vegas in the expansion draft, a full season of Barkov helped offset the losses of Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith.
Alongside Barkov, Vincent Trocheck broke out for 31 goals and 75 points, giving the Panthers one of the most productive center duos in the league. With the addition of Russian winger Evgenii Dadanov (65 points) and big years from Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad, the Panthers nearly snuck into a wild card spot.