Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice urged his team to be more clinical in front of goal following their 5-3 home defeat against Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

The Panthers now have an 8-5-2 record this season and must improve if they are to remain in contention for the National Hockey League (NHL) play-offs.

NHL 2026/27: Stanley Cup betting

Online bookmakers rated the Panthers as the favourites to win the Stanley Cup this term, but they have drifted out in the betting after making an indifferent start to the campaign.

Sports bettors may now feel that the astronaut online game offers them a better chance of securing a winning return given the Panthers’ inconsistent performances.

This exciting slot game with entertaining features and loads of betting options can be a real money-spinner if players hit the right combinations.

Panthers fans who have backed their team to win the Stanley Cup on the 1xbet website will be hoping that they can start producing their best form. The latest betting is as follows:

• Carolina Hurricanes - 13/2
• Colorado Avalanche - 7/1
• Edmonton Oilers - 8/1
• Vegas Golden Knights - 9/1
• Florida Panthers - 9/1
• Tampa Bay Lightning - 10/1
• Minnesota Wild - 12/1
• Washington Capitals - 14/1
• Dallas Stars - 16/1
• New Jersey Devils - 16/1
• Utah Mammoth - 18/1
• Montreal Canadiens - 20/1
• Ottawa Senators - 25/1
• Buffalo Sabres - 28/1
• Toronto Maple Leafs - 33/1
• Boston Bruins - 40/1
• Los Angeles Kings - 50/1
• San Jose Sharks - 50/1
• Anaheim Ducks - 66/1
• Columbus Blue Jackets - 66/1
• New York Rangers - 66/1
• Pittsburgh Penguins - 66/1
• Nashville Predators - 100/1
• Philadelphia Flyers - 100/1
• St Louis Blues - 100/1
• New York Islanders - 125/1
• Winnipeg Jets - 125/1
• Seattle Kraken - 150/1
• Detroit Red Wings - 200/1
• Chicago Blackhawks - 300/1
• Calgary Flames - 500/1
• Vancouver Canucks - 500/1

NHL 2026/27: Panthers November schedule

• Monday, November 2: Detroit Red Wings (H) (L3-5)
• Wednesday, November 4: Chicago Blackhawks (H)
• Saturday, November 7: Washington Capitals (A)
• Sunday, November 8: Boston Bruins (A)
• Tuesday, November 10: Columbus Blue Jackets (A)
• Thursday, November 12: Detroit Red Wings (H)
• Saturday, November 14: St. Louis Blues (A)
• Sunday, November 15: Dallas Stars (A)
• Tuesday, November 17: Edmonton Oilers (H)
• Saturday, November 21: Buffalo Sabres (H)
• Wednesday, November 25: Ottawa Senators (H)
• Friday, November 27: Washington Capitals (A)
• Saturday, November 28: Tampa Bay Lightning (H)

NHL 2026/27: November could make-or-break the Panthers season

The Panthers kicked off their hectic November schedule with a home defeat against the Red Wings. They never looked like taking anything from the game. 

With five of their next seven games on the road, the Panthers cannot afford to keep being as wasteful with the chances they create.

Maurice acknowledged that point after the game, claiming that his players need to be more decisive when they have on possession of the puck.

“We were just slow with some things,” Maurice said. “It’s a hard one to describe. I thought in the first thirty minutes, they were fairly opportunistic in what we gave them.

“There wasn’t a lot of offense either way, but I didn’t think we did enough to generate on our end. I think that was a really strong game by Detroit, but I wasn't in love with ours.

“We had pucks in the offensive zone that we had a hard time making anything happen with. We were just moving too slow.”

“It just shows how good this division is. We've talked about it. We're going to get everybody's best. All the teams in the Atlantic are good teams. When you get their best, you have to match it.”

The upcoming home fixture against the Blackhawks provides the Panthers with an opportunity to add another two points to their tally.

However, the subsequent trips to Washington, Boston and Columbus all have the potential to be tricky if the Panthers don’t produce their best form.

Winning the Stanley Cup is not beyond the Panthers if everything clicks into gear. The next run of games will demonstrate whether that is a realistic aim.