Midway thru the 2014-2105 NHL season, the Florida Panthers will face the defending champions at home. The Panthers will get a chance to show their mettle against the team that is currently the standard for the league. Even though the teams only meet twice a year there will be a lot of intrigue and gamesmanship to be had.
With the acquisition of Willie Mitchell during the offseason the Florida Panthers now will field one of the former cornerstones of the Kings. Mitchell was an assistant captain for the both of the Kings, Stanley Cup victories. There is no doubt that there is a lot of respect between he and his former employers. However, the Kings chose not to resign the rugged defenseman. This allowed for him to jump coasts and sign in Florida. Mitchell will be trying his hardest to prove that the kings made a mistake.
Los Angeles Kings first line center, Anze Kopitar, has developed into a star in the NHL. His two way play and smart decisions are applauded by most, if not all commentators. Interestingly enough, the Florida Panthers young center Aleksander Barkov, has been compared to Kopitar. It will be a lot of fun to see the two play against one another. There styles are similar as they carry the play. Barkov will be trying his hardest to match up with Kopitar.
NHL goalies have been known to be quirky. In this matchup you will see a difference of styles and attitude between Florida's Roberto Luongo and Los Angeles' Jonathan Quick. Both are proven winners in their profession. Luongo helped guide Canada to the gold medal while Quick was a backup for the United States. Quick then went on to win two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings. Luongo is a very much a traditional goalie that uses his size and positioning to stop the puck. Quick on the other hand uses his athleticism and "never give up" attitude to defend his post. Even though there is a battle of differing styles, it will be very entertaining to look.
Overall, the Panthers need to use this game as a measuring stick. There will be more underlying stories, especially in regards to standings when this game happens. However, the most important thing, is that the Panthers must learn to win. Why not do it against the league's best?