After trades, the Panthers are happy entering stretch run

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Claude Giroux said he would probably giggle if the Florida Panthers afforded him the opportunity to be linemates with Aleksander Barkov. The pairing happened in Giroux’s first full-fledged practice with the Panthers. Whether Giroux actually giggled during that practice was unclear. But it’s certain that the Panthers are a happy bunch these days. They sit atop the Eastern Conference with 20 games to go. And after stockpiling a bunch of new talent around the trade deadline the Panthers’ goal has never been clearer. It’s Stanley Cup or bust for Florida. That notion that would have been comical in most seasons for the franchise.