The final NHL game on Wednesday's schedule will pit the defending champion Panthers against the Kings out on the West Coast.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey reviews the scheduled games and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will win in head-to-head matchups.

The NHL announced Wednesday that the Florida Panthers will host the 2026 Winter Classic, facing the New York Rangers on Jan. 2 at loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins. “Our time has come that we deserve an outdoor game,” Panthers president and CEO Matt Caldwell said. “We’re fired up to have it right here locally.”

Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2025 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the project and its criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 8 to Feb. 7.

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Sam Reinhart snapped a three-game goal drought and the Florida Panthers beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Tuesday night. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and assist for the Panthers, who picked up a point in their 10th straight game against the Ducks.

Watch the Game Highlights from Anaheim Ducks vs. Florida Panthers, 01/21/2025

For the first time in 2025, the Florida Panthers have won consecutive games. Interestingly, they both came against the same team. Florida completed the sweep of their home-and-home with the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night,