The last decade hasn't been exactly kind to the Florida Panthers. Scratch that, upon entering the NHL back in 1993-94 the hockey gods have not been kind to the Florida Panthers. Since inception, the franchisehas played in just five postseasons. They've qualified for the playoffs twice over the last 18 years, falling both times in Jorbit Vivas Jersey the first round despite finishing at the top of their division. And the last time they made the playoffs was in 2016. However, things may be looking up for the franchise. With a revamped roster, expectations are high that this year may end quite differently. NHL FREE AGENCY 2019: Full list of RFAs, UFAs from all 31 teams Offensively, the Panthers were not downright terrible last season withan average of 3.23 goals per game, good for ninth in the NHL. Selke Trophy finalist Aleksander Barkov was among the league'sleaders in points with 35 goals and 95 points andJonathan Huberdeauchipped in a90-plus point campaign (30 goals, 62 a sists). Mike Hoffman, acquired from Ottawa before the start of the season, was theleading scorer with 36 goals while Evgenii Dadonov and Frank Vatrano each had 20-plus goal seasons. Floridaalso saw help on the blueline, with Keith Yandle contributing 53 a sists and Aaron Ekblad earning 37 points. Their special teams were also in fine shape. The power play ranked second-best among all 31 teams with a 26.5% succe s rate behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning and 10th on the penalty kill at 81.3%. Aleksander Barkov with a goal of the year candidate Hockey Central (@HockeyCentraI) The root of Florida's problems, however, could be found withweak goaltending and a poor defensive game. Although Ekblad, et al. were not terrible, thetop-4 did struggle.Yandlewas a minus-17 and couldn't find his game in his own end, giving away the puck 110 times over the course of the year. Top-pairing left-handed defensemanMike Matheson had a team-worst minus-24 rating. And ultimately, the defense surrendered an average of 3.33 goals per game, fourth-worst in the NHL. NHL free agency tracker 2019: Between the pipes, four different goaltenders saw time in 2018-19.Future Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo battled an injury and posted the worst numbers of his career through 43 starts, going 18-16-5 with a 3.12 goals-against averageand .899 save percentage. James Reimer started 36 games for Florida but was unable to be productive with just 13 wins, a3.09 GAA and .900 save percentage. Rookie netminder Sam Montembeault and veteran backup Michael Hutchinson saw some ice time but alsoposted lackluster numbers. I want to thank Vinnie and the Viola family for this opportunity. Dale, thank you for this opportunity... Were so excited to be in South Florida. -Head Coach Joel Quenneville Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) Florida's problems were fixed this offseason all beginning behind the bench. Within 48 hoursof the regular season-ending, . The former Chicago Blackhawks head coach brings a resume littered with Stanley Cups, three to be exact, and years ofexperience. But by far the biggest win of the summerwas . AfterLuongo retired June 26, Florida not onlyadded a Vezina-worthy starter but also dumped Reimer's contract instantly improving thesituation in goal. Bobrovsky, 30,went 37-24-1 with a2.58 GAA and.913 save percentage last season andwas one of the biggest reasons the Blue Jacketsbecame a consistent playoff contender. With him and Montembeault, the Panthers may have finally found stability in net. The move shouldimprove the team's defense andmake the Panthers a more marketable franchise. MORE: Goalie carousel sees Lehner, Varlamov find new homes On the blueline, Florida improved itsdepth on the right side by signing Anton Stralman from Tampa Bay. The 32-year-old was limited to just 47 games and 17 pointsthis past season due to injury;however, he has provento be a solid stay-at-home defenseman who can block shots, move the playup ice, force turnovers and, most importantly, compete for the puck. Although he's not physical, Stralman's a strong skater who can play a shutdown game and, coupled with his experience,leadership and flashes of an offensivegame, should help the Panthers find consistency on defense. In regards to secondary scoring, something they needed to add to after not re-signingTroy Brouwer or Riley Sheahan, they inked bottom-6winger Brett Connolly to a four-year deal and 2019 Stanley Cup finalist Noel Acciari. Connolly, who is coming offa career-yearinWashington (22 goals, 46points) is a reliable a set on special teams andcan find chemistry with just about anyone. Acciari, while his numbers were not flashy last season, is a versatile player who can play center or wing and should slot inwell on the fourth line. The Panthers needed to make some changes and they did just that. Time will tell how they pan out but with a new look, they are fullyexpected to bein the thick of it with the Lightning, Bruins andMaple Leafs for the Atlantic Division crown. Jorge Posada Jersey