Flags fly forever and that’s all that matters for the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup champions. But if anyone thinks that has satiated this franchise’s hunger, they’d be mistaken.Yes, the Panthers missed the playoffs, but that was mostly a victim of circumstance; namely, injuries to the team’s two best players to start and a lot of key players shortly after. In all, the Panthers lost roughly 11 wins to injury, which is almost exactly the difference between where they finished and where they were expected to land this season.A healthy Panthers team probably makes the playoffs. After a lot of games played over the previous three seasons, this team could use a break and should come back as strong as usual next season because of it. Given all of that, it should come as no surprise that no other non-playoff team is better situated to contend next season.Here’s where the Panthers stand going into the 2026-27 season. All projected values are age-adjusted based on each player’s profile of comparable peers.What the Panthers haveThe gang is still here, albeit with a few key pieces looking a tad muted due to age and the trials of last season.A lot will ride on how well Aleksander Barkov can return after missing an entire season. At his best, he’s the best two-way forward in the world, firmly entrenched in the franchise category. He posted a plus-19.3 Net Rating per 82 in 2024-25 and his projected rate has been right around plus-18 for five straight seasons. Still, one year off for someone who turns 31 in September creates some uncertainty, depressing Barkov’s projected value going into next season. Barkov being the same ol’ Barkov is paramount to another Cup run.Around Barkov, the Panthers still have two of the best wingers in the league, giving Florida one of the best Big Threes in hockey. Matthew Tkachuk has consistently paced at 90 points for the past three seasons, while Sam Reinhart is a 40-goal threat with Selke-level defense to support it.Few teams can match that top level and the Panthers also boast an incredible second layer of talent after that. Brad Marchand still has it (though age is a concern), Anton Lundell elevated in Barkov’s absence, and the trio of Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen gives the Panthers a near impervious top nine.On defense, Gustav Forsling arguably felt the absence of Barkov most last season, but he still grades out as a strong two-way option with decent shutdown capabilities. If he can’t be the true No. 1 he was in years past, Seth Jones fitting like a glove in Florida should alleviate some of the pressure there. The continued defensive growth of Niko Mikkola is also a plus in the top four. Aaron Ekblad, who struggled alongside Forsling last season, rounds things out as an offensive driver from the blue line.Things aren’t as shiny as they were this time last year, but it’s impossible to ignore that the roster that won back-to-back Cups remains intact … with one notable exception.