Florida Panthers Struggling Against the Better Teams in the NHL

The Florida Panthers are experiencing a difficult stretch in the NHL, struggling against higher-ranked teams. With nine wins in their first 18 games, the team has been outmatched by better opponents. Only two of their nine wins came against playoff teams, including a 7-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets last week. The Blue Jackets themselves are currently searching for an identity, having lost three of their past five games and sit just below .500 at 7-8-0.

For the Panthers, their recent losses have been against teams like the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks, all of which present more of a challenge than the Panthers' recent wins against middle-tier teams like the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets. With only five of the 15 current playoff teams on their schedule, the Panthers have faced difficulties in adjusting to the higher level of competition.

The team is currently 9-7-2, four points behind the Lightning for third place in their division, but as the schedule becomes more challenging, the outcome of their season will become clearer.