Panthers vs. Bruins Tuesday NHL injury report, odds: Florida can clinch first-ever Presidents' Trophy, which bodes poorly for Stanley Cup chances

The Florida Panthers have clinched the Atlantic Division title and the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs but there is still one piece of unfinished business: The Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup Finals. The Panthers have never won the Presidents' Trophy but can clinch it tonight in Boston. Yet history says maybe they shouldn't want to.

Florida leads the NHL with 120 points, four ahead of West No. 1 Colorado. The Panthers capture the Presidents' Trophy with a win of any kind in Boston and the St. Louis Blues winning at Colorado in any fashion OR if Florida gets a point vs. Boston and the Blues upset the Avalanche in regulation.

Of course, any team wants home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, but it didn't work well for the Avalanche last year as they were knocked out in the second round. In fact, since the 2001-02 season, the Presidents' Trophy winner has only gone on to win the Stanley Cup three times: the Red Wings in 2002 and 2008 and the Blackhawks in 2013. Chicago is the last winner to even get to the Cup Final.

The lone time a Florida team won the Presidents' Trophy was in the 2018-19 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and they were swept in the first round of the playoffs by Columbus in maybe the biggest series upset in league history. The Panthers are +550 second favorites behind the Avalanche (+350) at Caesars Sportsbook to win the Cup.

Boston doesn't have a heck of a lot to play for tonight as it will finish either fourth or third in the Atlantic Division and won't have home ice in a Round 1 playoff series. Star winger David Pastrnak (39 goals, 34 assists) will play after sitting out the previous game. Ditto defenseman Hampus Lindholm (26 points). Linus Ullmark (24-10-2, 2.52 GAA, .914 SV) is in net.

Florida will have forward Carter Verhaeghe (22 goals, 31 assists) back in the lineup, but Ryan Lomberg (17 points) and Mason Marchment (47 points) are out. Sergei Bobrovsky (39-6-3, 2.66 GAA, .912 SV) is in net. After winning 13 straight games, the Panthers saw their franchise-record streak end with an 8-4 loss to the Lightning in their final home game of the regular season Sunday.

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