Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers 29 September 2026 Prediction

The NHL season opens with Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers. Carolina begins its title defense against the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup champions. Both teams are considered contenders to reach the Eastern Conference Final.

Carolina Keeps Its Championship Core

Carolina made few roster changes over the summer. Alexander Nikishin’s contract situation remains unresolved. The defenseman won the Stanley Cup in his first NHL season, but he is unhappy with his average ice time of 14:50 in the 2025–26 playoffs and is seeking at least $8 million. The Hurricanes have offered different terms, which Nikishin does not plan to accept.

Carolina won three of its four preseason games, scoring six goals twice. Rod Brind’Amour’s team split two games with Florida, losing 6-3 before winning 3-2 in a shootout. The Hurricanes then beat Nashville 6-3 and 6-0.

Carolina Hurricanes Predicted Lineup: Bussi (Kochetkov); Chatfield, Slavin; Svechnikov, Aho, Robinson

Full Roster: Defensemen: Miller, Walker, Gostisbehere, Legault; forwards: Hall, Stankoven, Blake, Ehlers, Staal, Martinook, Carrier, Jankowski, Nilsson

Out: Jarvis (injury)

Manager: Rod Brind’Amour

Florida Gets Key Players Back

After winning the Stanley Cup in 2023–24 and 2024–25, Florida missed the playoffs last season. Injuries affected Paul Maurice’s team throughout the regular season, and the Panthers finished 14th in the Eastern Conference. Key players have since returned, and Florida added former Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk, who recorded 22 goals and 37 assists. He joins his brother Matthew in Sunrise. Both played well at the Olympics.

Sergei Bobrovsky’s departure is a significant loss. The goaltender, who posted an .876 save percentage, played a major role in Florida’s recent success and has joined Toronto. The Panthers added Akira Schmid from Vegas and Jacob Markstrom from New Jersey in goal.

Florida Panthers Predicted Lineup: Markstrom (Schmid); Forsling, Ekblad; B. Tkachuk, Barkov, Reinhart

Full Roster: Defensemen: Mikkola, Jones, Kulikov, Gudas; forwards: Verhaeghe, Bennett, M. Tkachuk, Luostarinen, Lundell, Vilmanis, Reinhart, Schwindt, Imama

Out: Marchand, Gadjovich (injuries)

Manager: Paul Maurice

Teams Split Their Preseason Games

Florida and Carolina met twice in the preseason, with each team winning at home. The Panthers won 6-3 in Sunrise with a near-full-strength lineup, helped by two goals from Brady Tkachuk. Carolina won the rematch 3-2 in a shootout in Raleigh. Brady scored in that game as well.

Key Stats

Carolina scored a power-play goal in three of its four preseason games.

Florida scored in the first period of all four of its preseason games.

Carolina scored five third-period goals across the teams’ last two meetings.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Prediction: Hurricanes Moneyline at 1.85

Main pick: Carolina had the most home points in the Eastern Conference last regular season. The Hurricanes also won three of four preseason games, while Florida lost two of four. With the Panthers having lost the teams’ last three meetings, the pick is Carolina to win, including overtime or a shootout, at 1.85. Correct score prediction: 4-2.

Goals pick: Carolina scored 17 regulation goals in four preseason games, while Florida scored 15. Seven of the teams’ last eight meetings had at least seven combined goals. The additional pick is over 5.5 goals at 1.66.