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The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs features 16 teams in eight best-of-7 series, which start Saturday. Today, NHL.com previews the Eastern Conference First Round between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

(1A) Florida Panthers vs. (WC1) Tampa Bay Lightning

Panthers: 52-24-6, 110 points

Lightning: 45-29-8, 98 points

Season series: FLA: 2-1-0, TBL: 1-2-0

Game 1: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena (ESPN, SN, TVAS).

The Florida Panthers will try to make a return trip to the Stanley Cup Final and their first step is the Eastern Conference First Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Panthers, who lost the 2023 Final in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights, won the Atlantic Division in their final regular-season game Tuesday, jumping over the Boston Bruins. That earned them a date with their cross-state rivals, who were seemingly locked into the first wild card from the East for weeks.

"It's going to be great," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "Both teams know how to play hard, both teams have some high-end skill on it. It'll be a great battle, great for the fans."

Each team took a different route to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers were the second wild card last season, clinching a berth in the final days. They then defeated the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes to reach the Final.

This year, they go in as one of the favorites from the East after the second-best regular season in their history (122 points in 2021-22). It's the fifth straight season they have reached the playoffs after making it twice in the previous 18.

The Lightning, who won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 and reached the Final in 2022, started this season without goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who missed the first 20 games because of offseason back surgery. They went 9-6-5 without him.

Tampa Bay has made the postseason 10 times in 11 seasons, but this is the first time it's been a wild card. In fact, this is the first time it made the playoffs without finishing in the top three of its division since 1995-96.

The Panthers and Lightning will meet in the playoffs for the third time. Tampa Bay won the 2021 first round in six games and swept Florida in the 2022 second round.

"It's always fireworks when we play these guys, always a good game," Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. "They're an awesome team and really skilled. They have all the elements of a really good team."

Game breakers

Panthers: Forward Sam Reinhart had a breakout season scoring 57 goals, which shattered his previous NHL career high of 33 in 2021-22. He scored 27 of Florida's 63 power-play goals and was tied with forward Matthew Tkachuk with 55 even-strength points. Among those to play at least 60 games, he led the NHL with a 24.5 percent shooting percentage. He's also defensive-minded, ranking second among Panthers forwards in plus-minus (plus-29) behind captain Aleksander Barkov (plus-33).

Lightning: How could it be anyone but Nikita Kucherov? The forward has had a season for the ages, leading the NHL with a career-high 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists). He now has the three most productive seasons in Lightning history (128 points in 2018-19, 113 in 2022-23). He's the first Eastern Conference player with at least 144 points in a season since Mario Lemieux (161) and Jaromir Jagr (149) for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96. How dominant is Kucherov? He has 54 more points than Tampa Bay's second-leading scorer, Brayden Point (90).

Goaltending

Panthers: It's almost hard to believe that Alex Lyon and not Sergei Bobrovsky began the 2023 playoffs as the starter. Once Bobrovsky was in goal, he dominated, going 12-6 with a 2.78 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and one shutout, including a 12-game run between Game 5 of the first round against the Bruins and Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Hurricanes, when he faced 465 shots and made 438 saves to go 11-1 with a 1.95 GAA and .942 save percentage. He followed that up this season by going 36-17-4 with a 2.37 GAA, .915 save percentage and six shutouts in 58 games. His backup was Anthony Stolarz, who was 16-7-2 with a 2.03 GAA .925 save percentage and two shutouts in 27 games (24 starts).

Lightning: In a recent poll among NHL players, they were asked which goalie they would want on their team if they had to win one game. Almost half (46.92 percent) picked Vasilevskiy. And why not? In 110 postseason games, he's 65-42 with a 2.27 GAA, .921 save percentage and seven shutouts. Since the Lightning were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2019 first round, Vasilevskiy is 50-27 with a 2.21 GAA and .924 save percentage in the postseason. When he's on his game, there may not be a better goalie in the League. He has two Stanley Cup titles and three straight trips to the Final to prove it.

Numbers to know

Panthers: The Panthers don't like allowing goals. They led the League in goals-against (2.41 per game). Their number was impressive at home, giving up 2.56 goals per game, but they were even stingier on the road (2.27). They come into the playoffs hot, finishing 5-1-1 and allowing 1.71 goals per game.

Lightning: If there is anything the Lightning know how to do, it's score goals. They were fifth in the NHL and second in the East with 3.51 goals per game. A big reason was their power play, which led the NHL (28.6 percent). and why wouldn't they with forwards Kucherov, Stamkos and Point on the man-advantage with all-world defenseman Victor Hedman and forward Nicholas Paul in the bump role? Bobrovksy and the Panthers will be put to the test in this series.

The Florida Panthers will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The best-of-7 series was decided when the Panthers (52-24-6) defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Tuesday to clinch the Atlantic Division by one point over the Boston Bruins, who lost to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. Florida will have home-ice advantage.

The Lightning (44-29-8) are the first wild card from the East. They have one more regular-season game, Wednesday against the Maple Leafs.

Florida and Tampa Bay have played twice in the playoffs. The Lightning won in six games in the first round in 2021, then swept the Panthers in four straight in the second round in 2022.

They played against each other three times in the regular season, with Florida winning the first two matchups. The Panthers won 9-2 on Feb. 17, and 3-2 on Dec. 27. The Lightning won 5-3 on March 16.

Who will win this series? That's the question before staff writer William Douglas and senior director of editorial Shawn P. Roarke in this playoff edition of State Your Case.

Roarke: Look, the Tampa Bay Lightning are what the Florida Panthers want to be. The Lightning have a championship pedigree and have owned the battle for bragging rights in the state as the Panthers have never won a playoff series against the Lightning. That all changes this season. The Panthers did not draw the Lightning until their last game of the season, passing the Bruins for the Atlantic Division crown. Don’t be surprised, though, if this isn’t the matchup they wanted all along, a chance to exact some revenge on their dominant neighbors. After the run to the Stanley Cup Final last season and a dominant showing so far this season, Florida has the confidence to take on anyone. The Panthers also have the weapons, matching -- or bettering -- the Lightning at every position. Florida believes it can win, something it has not had in past series against Tampa Bay. It will make all the difference this time around.

Douglas: Shawn, perhaps Florida did want Tampa Bay all along -- a great state rivalry that’s sure to create lots of buzz and fill Amerant Bank Arena. As for extracting revenge, the Panthers accomplished a bit of that by winning the three-game regular-season series against the Lightning. But all of that is out the window in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a territory that the three-time Cup champion Lightning know very well. I don’t think Tampa Bay was fazed by getting into the postseason as the first wild card in the East, knowing it’s not where you finish but how you finish. I think coach Jon Cooper has done a good job of pacing his veterans in the regular season for the postseason battle ahead. Sure, the Panthers may be able to match the Lightning position for position, but they still can’t match the playoff experience and know-how that Tampa Bay has.

Roarke: Enough of intangibles on each side of this argument. Let’s talk facts: the Panthers might be the most sound defensive team in the League. They allowed 200 goals, the second-fewest in the League behind the Winnipeg Jets (197). Their plus-68 goal differential is the best in the NHL. They put teams under pressure from the start of the game to the end and when they are in high gear, watch out. Just ask the Maple Leafs, who couldn’t weather a second period Tuesday that saw the Panthers generate 29 shots on goal, more than nine teams average per game. They have three elite defensemen in Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling, each of whom can skate with any of the Lightning’s crafty forwards. Matthew Tkachuk not only has 88 points (26 goals, 62 assists), but as he showed in the playoffs last season, he has a taste for the big moments and an ability to drag his team into the fight. Sam Reinhart scored 57 goals and gives Florida a game-breaking presence it has lacked. Veteran Aleksander Barkov is the best two-way center in the game now that Patrice Bergeron has retired. Oh, and then there is goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who made the 2023 postseason his own stage. He has carried over that strong play this season and should be a more than capable adversary for Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, whose playoff pedigree is unmatched. Finally, let’s not forget who is pulling all the strings here in coach Paul Maurice, who has 113 NHL playoff games under his belt, has reached the conference final four times and is completely in synch with this team. It is an unbeatable mix.

Douglas: You want facts? Here goes: The Lightning were fifth in goals per game during the regular season, averaging 3.48; only the Colorado Avalanche, Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers averaged more. Tampa Bay had the NHL’s top power play (28.7 percent), and the fifth-best penalty kill (83.1 percent), a spot ahead of the Panthers (82.5). And then there’s Nikita Kucherov. The Art Ross Trophy contender as the League’s leader scorer leads the NHL with 142 points (43 goals, 99 assists) heading into the regular-season finale against the Maple Leafs on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS). But Tampa Bay isn’t a one-man band; Brayden Point has 89 points (45 goals, 44 assists) in 80 games, and the seemingly-ageless Steven Stamkos has 79 points (40 goals, 39 assists) in 78 games. Victor Hedman is formidable as ever on defense and has 76 points (13 goals, 63 assists) and is plus-18 in 78 games. Yes, Bobrovsky has been brilliant in goal this season, but for me, Vasilevskiy is the postseason gold standard. He’s 65-42 in 110 playoff games (105 starts) with a 2.37 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and seven shutouts. Maurice’s coaching record is impressive, but so is Jon Cooper’s. Currently the NHL’s longest-tenured coach, he’s 86-59 in 145 playoff games and has two Stanley Cup rings from 2020 and 2021. He’s a proven winner who’ll guide his team past the Panthers.

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TAMPA, Fla. -- During the earlier part of Jason Licht's tenure as a first-time general manager leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Bucs had their choice of a top-10 pick in the draft nearly every year.

They selected wide receiver Mike Evans at No. 7 in 2014. They took quarterback Jameis Winston at No. 1 in 2015. They traded down and still landed their choice at cornerback in Vernon Hargreaves III at No. 11 in 2016. They traded down from No. 7 to No. 12 to land defensive tackle Vita Vea in 2018. And they selected inside linebacker Devin White at No. 5 in 2019.

A Super Bowl and three straight NFC South titles later, and Licht has had to take a different approach with the first pick -- playing the waiting game. In fact, there was one player remaining on the Bucs' big board at No. 19 overall last year: "Calijah [Kancey] -- and we were happy with that," Licht said with a smile.

"I would say that the biggest challenge, at least for me, is you're trying to target who might be there," Licht said. "Right now, we have five to seven guys we think might be there. Then you start kind of falling in love with them and you're like, 'OK, one of these guys is going to be there, and we're going to be so happy.' Then, there's the chance that none of them are. I think that's the hardest part about picking down there late."

Quarterbacks and offensive tackles will come off the board early, and that will push other positions down. With the 26th pick being the Bucs' first selection this year, this could line up well with their biggest needs.

"We have a lot [of needs]," Licht said. "And that's OK, to have a lot of needs. I always like the trenches, and I think we need help in both trenches."

Specifically, the Bucs need upgrades at guard, center and outside linebacker. They signed offensive linemen Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeson to one-year deals in free agency -- but those are more depth signings -- and recently signed 31-year-old outside linebacker Randy Gregory, a former second-round draft pick.

"We wanted some depth there, but it's not going to affect how we approach the draft," Licht said of Gregory. "We could always use a higher-end pass-rusher -- I think every team can. It's not going to affect the way we approach it."

But how does the team factor in the depth of a class? For example, this class is considered much deeper at offensive line than it is at outside linebacker. Some prognosticators consider Alabama's Dallas Turner, UCLA's Laiatu Latu, Florida State's Jared Verse and Penn State's Chop Robinson as the top four edge rushers in this class, and there is somewhat of a dropoff after that.

For example, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper's latest two-round mock draft, did have the Bucs selecting Latu at 26, but the next edge rusher didn't come off the board until No. 61 -- the bottom of the second round -- with Penn State's Adisa Isaac.

"I guess when you feel certain positions are deeper, you feel maybe if you have a higher pick, maybe that's a position of need, but you can maybe take another position because you can still get one later on in the draft," Licht said. "But, at the end of the day, you still want to take the best player -- the player that you had the best feel for, especially collectively as a group.

"You wouldn't want to pass on a player, regardless of position, if you have a lot of love for him -- knowing even if that's a deep position. None of us know -- we don't have a crystal ball here. You can feel like a position is deep and then you can look back on it three years from now and maybe it wasn't so deep."

Defensive line shouldn't be excluded from the conversation, either. The Bucs have Vea and Kancey, but they've both missed time with injuries, and Logan Hall, the Bucs' second-round pick in 2022 hasn't blossomed as a pass-rusher in the way the team has hoped. Licht has also gone that direction twice in the first round when it wasn't as obvious of a need as prognosticators felt.

The team did sign outside cornerback Bryce Hall and nickelback Tavierre Thomas in free agency after trading Carlton Davis III to the Detroit Lions, but Licht said that doesn't mean they wouldn't consider one. It's considered a relatively deep class at corner, and they were able to get Zyon McCollum, who started nine games last season and will compete for a starting role, in the fifth round in 2022.

The Bucs did bring in Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry and Michigan's Mike Sainristil recently for visits.

"If there's a great cornerback that's sitting there, and he's staring us in the face and he's clearly a better player than what we have at other positions, it would be hard to resist," Licht said.

They also need to consider succession plans for Evans, who turns 31 in August, and Chris Godwin, who enters the third year of a three-year contract worth $60 million. They got great value in the sixth round last year in selecting Trey Palmer. He caught three touchdowns last season but had a large midseason lull.

Florida State's Keon Coleman and Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley, both wide receivers, came in for pre-draft visits.

"It's another position that you can't have too many of those," Licht said. "I think [offensive coordinator] Liam [Coen] can find a way to use a lot of very good receivers and playmakers. ... We really like Trey, and we like what [Rakim Jarrett] was showing before he got injured last year.

"It's another position that I would consider a need, and you can't fill them all right now in the draft, but we'd love to get one."

During our Casey Washington draft profile we detailed how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been without an overly reliable third pass catching option since the exceptional departure of Antonio Brown. Russell Gage, Julio Jones, and Trey Palmer have all had their moments in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ uniform. None have been near the fear evoking presence of Tampa Bay’s offense when Antonio Brown was behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the depth chart.

This year, in the NFL Draft, Tampa Bay’s biggest need is certainly not pass catcher— It’s much more likely to be a pass rusher. Still, wide receiver does check in as a credible need for a team that has two starting receivers who are 28 and 30, respectively. With the 28-year-old slated to be a free agent next offseason, meaning the team may need to prepare a replacement.

Who is Luke McCaffrey?

Luke McCaffrey played his college football at Rice. As an Owl, McCaffrey caught 19 touchdowns over the past two seasons— McCaffrey tossed two and ran for another three scores during his Owls’ career as well.

The former quarterback turned receiver comes from good football?stock. His father, Ed McCaffrey, was a Pro Bowl receiver who had a 13-year career in the NFL while his brother is Christian McCaffrey— arguably the league’s best running back.

His NFL.com scouting report is littered with complimentary remarks about his ability to make difficult catches consistently—

"Fearless into the teeth of the defense... Excels at combat catches"

"Made jaw-dropping one-handed catches with coverage draped over him."

"Focus drops do not exist in his dojo."

Some of Lance Zierlein's critiscms of McCaffrey can be attributed to overall lack of time spent at the position—

"Had trouble releasing cleanly against serious press attempts."

"Still needs work getting in and out of breaks more quickly."

"Can improve with adjustments coming back to deep throws."

Both lineage and talent are present. Coaching and increased time spent on the job will be key in maximizing the talent that exists—

My RD5.153 Draft Day PickRD5.153: Luke McCaffrey, WR, Ricepic.twitter.com/Bptpit39od

— Chad Koon (@chadkoon) April 7, 2024

NFL Scouting Combine.

Luke McCaffrey had himself an impressive combine workout, highlighted by his 4.46 40-yard dash. With his 6’2” 198 lb. frame, McCaffrey posted a 36” vertical jump and a 10’1” broad jump. McCaffrey’s impressive outing at the Combine helped to earn him an 83 for his ‘Athleticism score’ via NFL.com.

How would McCaffrey fit with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense?

McCaffrey would slide into the slot naturally for any NFL offense that could use him. Before a clear determination can be made about the Tampa Bay Bucs’ usage of McCaffrey, the team needs to set a defined plan for Chris Godwin. Godwin has been the number two, behind Mike Evans since 2019. In his time in the role he has worn multiple hats for Tampa’s offense.

During Tom Brady’s run in Gulf Coast, Godwin’s primary assignment became that of a slot receiver. Brady used Chris Godwin the way NFL fans had become so accustomed to seeing him deploy Wes Welker and Julian Edelman. Brady identified Godwin’s skillset as one he could dissect defenses with, in traffic, over the middle of the field. Through three seasons, in that role, Godwin collected 267 receptions (including a 104-catch season). He found the end zone 15 times in those three seasons and amassed 2,966 yards receiving.

That production came with Tom Brady throwing the football and some combination of Brady, Byron Leftwich, and/or Bruce Arians calling plays. Last year, Baker Mayfield was at the helm and Dave Canales took over play calling duties. Tampa Bay’s 2023 offense took the approach of allowing Godwin to work more often as an outside receiver. He was still able to post a 1,000-yard season but his catches and touchdowns were down from the two seasons prior.

Tampa Bay has the potential to be an outstanding fit for Luke McCaffrey, the only question is what the team plans on doing with Chris Godwin— next year and in the years that follow.

On the clock...

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For nearly five years, coffee lovers and beer nerds have flocked to King State in Tampa. But the brand’s new St. Petersburg location in the COhatch building only lasted about three and a half months before closing.

At the beginning of April, the King State St. Pete Instagram page announced the closure with a post that read simply “BRB” — short for “be right back.” Shortly after that, the rest of the content on the social media account disappeared.

What’s going on with the beloved coffee shop and restaurant’s new location? The Tampa Bay Times chatted with one co-owner to find out.

The future of King State

If King State St. Pete does reopen, it won’t be the same as it was when it closed. Instead, owners want to turn it into a late night bar and eatery that can host events and serve the evening crowd.

“There’s bars in St. Pete, and there’s so many restaurants in St. Pete, but there’s rarely like, really, really good bars with really, really good food,” said co-owner Tim McTague.

McTague and his brother-in-law Nate Young first started the King State coffee brand a decade ago, then opened their first location out of a former car wash and garage at 520 E Floribraska Ave. in Tampa. They were inspired by the third-wave coffee shops they visited in other cities as touring musicians; Young plays drums in alternative/emo group Anberlin and McTague plays guitar in Tampa metal band Underoath.

McTague imagines a spot where people can grab a bite after a night out at the Bends or watching a show at Jannus Live.

“The lights need to be lower, the music needs to be louder. An environment for people, rather than just another place to go eat,” McTague said. “If St. Pete can’t be what we want it to be, then we don’t want it to be anything for us. And that’s really where we’re at.”

Troubles started in Tampa

King State St. Pete was in the works for nearly three years before it soft-opened on Dec. 8, McTague said. Delays in building out the space pushed back the opening for roughly a year and a half.

By the time St. Pete was finally ready to open at 15 8th St N., the brand was already struggling with the original Tampa location. As part of the Floribraska Avenue Complete Streets Project, a city initiative to replace old water pipes and improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, the entire road in front of the business was closed off. Many patrons assumed the restaurant was closed, too.

King State posted pleas for support on social media and spoke about the road closure at a Tampa City Council meeting. The construction impact, they told council members, had been more economically devastating than the entire COVID-19 pandemic.

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Owners spoke directly with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and the city’s head of transportation. While construction is done for now, they hope communication and at least one lane will remain open during the next phase later this year.

“You almost need to bat a thousand and shoot bull’s-eyes 365 days a year to even make it,” McTague said. “When you have four to six months of just devastation, so to speak, whether it be access or bulldozers in front of your patio, it just makes a challenging business almost impossible... It was one of the most insane, tense times I think I’ve ever had in my life.”

What led to the pause in St. Pete

If you come to King State in Tampa when it opens at 8 a.m., you’ll find a third-wave coffee shop that serves waffles and breakfast plates. If you swing by around lunch, you can order a pizza and a pint of something from their beer program. By nighttime, it transforms into a cocktail bar where you might find a Bucs watch party. All of it has the same rock ‘n’ roll King State attitude.

When McTague and Young opened their St. Pete location, they brought over their beer, plus new menus for each meal of the day. They were excited to offer breakfast.

“It just turns out that there’s a reason why there’s not a lot of breakfast spots in downtown,” McTague said. “People are not going out to breakfast.”

They scrapped breakfast and leaned into dinner and drinks. But while McTague and Young were busy trying to keep Tampa afloat, St. Pete’s atmosphere and prices started to drift from the brand’s values.

“We’re very approachable. We’re kind of a punk attitude on the food and beverage industry,” McTague said. “[King State St. Pete] almost felt hybrid fine dining, and that’s something that we never really wanted. Looking at the approachability of the menu, from a cost basis all the way down to some of the food offerings, we felt like it wasn’t King State.”

King State Coffee, LLC filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 2.

“Our head executive chef ended up stepping away during our attempts to reorganize the concept,” McTague said. “It wasn’t the deciding factor amidst other things, just like, ‘OK, how did we get all the way here in a matter of two months?’”

Young and McTague decided to pause King State St. Pete for a month or two to reimagine the space.

This was not their first foray into St. Petersburg. In May 2022, McTague and Young opened the Brutalist Temple of Beer at the former Flying Boat Brewing Co. space at 1776 11th Ave. N.

The brewery and taproom struggled to find a consistent food partner and footing in the neighborhood, McTague said. They closed the space in October 2023 to focus on distribution. King State’s beer is now sold in seven states, including every Trader Joe’s in Florida.

“That was just a very easy decision once we realized like, ‘Oh, all of this can still exist in a much much more nimble and flexible way,’” McTague said.

They’re ready to pivot again in St. Pete. But only if it feels like King State.

“We are working with our landlords. They’re fully aware of the situation. They’re very supportive and our hope is to kind of reimagine what that concept is in a way that fits that space,” McTague said. “We’re at a very peaceful spot amidst the chaos.”