Panthers players want Andrew Brunette to return; Joe Thornton undecided on future
Despite a franchise record setting season that saw them win the President's Trophy, the Florida Panthers were swept in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by their state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The team had some coaching issues in late-October. Joel Quenneville stepped down as Head Coach due to being implicated in the independent investigation regarding the Chicago Blackhawks and Brad Aldrich.
The Panthers then went and promoted Assistant Coach Andrew Brunette to interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season and Florida went on to have the best regular season in franchise history.
On Wednesday, the Panthers held their exit interviews with the media and captain Aleksander Barkov said that the player want Andrew Brunette to return to the team next season.
He added, "He got us going. He made us to have fun on the ice, to enjoy the game, and enjoy playing for each other."
Florida also has some other off-ice business to attend to with eight players becoming unrestricted free agents and three players who are set to be restricted free agents that are eligible for arbitration.
One player that many are curious as to what he may do next is 42-year-old Joe Thornton. Thornton made his Florida Panthers playoff debut in Game 4 after not playing at all in the previous three games or at all in the first round series with Washington.
Thornton told reporters that he is undecided on his playing future and that he will talk with his family to see what to do.
If this is the end of the road for Joe Thornton, what a career it was. 1,539 points in 1,714 career games including the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy in 2005-06. Although he hasn't won a Stanley Cup, he had plenty of success on the international stage and won an Olympic gold medal in 2010, two World Cup of Hockey titles in 2004 and 2016 and a World Championship silver medal in 2005. There is no doubt that Thornton will be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer when he is eligible.
Barkov hopes Brunette returns: 'He did an unbelievable job' https://t.co/F1TKBCXtqJ pic.twitter.com/nzOcRiOlMR— theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) May 25, 2022
I asked Jumbo what his decision making process would be for him this summer in terms of potentially retiring:
«I really have no idea. I haven't put any thought into it at all right nowI'm sure I'll talk with the family and see what our plan is next.»— David Dwork (@DavidDwork) May 25, 2022
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APRIL 25, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Sebastian Aho | - | - | - | |
| Mike Amadio | - | - | - | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Drake Batherson | - | - | - | |
| Jackson Blake | - | - | - | |
| William Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Thomas Chabot | - | - | - | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | - | - | |
| Nick Cousins | - | - | - | |
| Dylan Cozens | - | - | - | |
| Nicolas Deslauriers | - | - | - | |
| Lars Eller | - | - | - | |
| Warren Foegele | - | - | - | |
| Dennis Gilbert | - | - | - | |
| Claude Giroux | - | - | - | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | - | - | - | |
| Ridly Greig | - | - | - | |
| Taylor Hall | - | - | - | |
| Mark Jankowski | - | - | - | |
| Seth Jarvis | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||