Panthers End Season With Blowout Win, Hurt Draft Odds

Florida's late-season surge jeopardizes their first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 1:38am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Florida Panthers hockey game, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of vibrant blue, green, and red colors, capturing the chaotic energy of the sport.The Panthers' late-season surge has put their first-round draft pick in jeopardy, as the team's unexpected success threatens to push them out of the top draft lottery positions.Sunrise Today

The Florida Panthers capped off their season with an 8-1 blowout victory over the Detroit Red Wings, but the win may have come at a cost. Several Panthers rookies scored their first NHL goals and points in the game, but the team's late-season surge has put their first-round draft pick in jeopardy of being sent to the Chicago Blackhawks as part of a previous trade.

Why it matters

The Panthers' unexpected win has serious implications for their upcoming draft position. If Florida finishes outside the bottom 10 teams in the league, they will be forced to forfeit their first-round pick to the Blackhawks, a significant loss for a team looking to reload for another Stanley Cup run.

The details

Rookie defenseman Mike Benning scored his first two NHL goals in the game, while fellow rookies Wilmer Skoog, Ludvig Jansson, Mikulas Hovorka, and Marek Alscher also recorded their first NHL points. However, the win has pushed the Panthers up in the standings, putting their first-round pick at risk of being sent to Chicago as part of the Seth Jones trade last year.

  • The Panthers won their final game of the 2025-26 NHL season on April 16, 2026.
  • Florida has now won their season finale for the third consecutive year.

The players

Mike Benning

A 24-year-old rookie defenseman for the Florida Panthers who scored his first two NHL goals in the season finale.

Wilmer Skoog

A rookie forward for the Florida Panthers who recorded his first NHL point in the game.

Seth Jones

A defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks, who the Panthers traded a first-round pick to acquire last year.

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What’s next

If San Jose and St. Louis both get one more point this season, the Panthers will finish the season eighth from last in the league — which guarantees their first-round pick will land within the top-10 and avoid being forfeited to the Blackhawks.

The takeaway

The Panthers' late-season surge has put their first-round draft pick in jeopardy, highlighting the difficult balance between winning games and securing favorable draft position. This situation underscores the importance of long-term planning and the tough decisions NHL teams face when trying to build a championship contender.