The Florida Panthers acquisition of Seth Jones last weekend sent a message to the NHL that the defending Stanley Cup champs were once again the team to beat.

Veteran defenseman Seth Jones impressed his Florida Panthers teammates in his debut Monday night, a 2-1 victory over their in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in which he played just under 23 minutes and nearly scored a goal for the Stanley Cup champions.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) blocks a shot on goal during the second period of a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. Alie Skowronski [email protected]