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The Panthers’ new puck-moving defense debuts tonight

Washington Capitals v New York Rangers - Game One

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 30: Keith Yandle #93 of the New York Rangers skates against the Washington Capitals in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2015 in New York City. Capitals defeated the Rangers 2-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

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The Florida Panthers racked up a franchise-high 103 points last season.

Their response?

They almost completely changed their defense.

Out went Erik Gudbranson and Dmitry Kulikov, traded to Vancouver and Buffalo, respectively. Brian Campbell signed in Chicago, while Willie Mitchell’s career is probably over.

Of the six d-men who dressed in last season’s opener, the only ones left are Aaron Ekblad and Alex Petrovic. Joining those two are Keith Yandle, Jason Demers, Michael Matheson, and Mark Pysyk.

“We had a successful regular season,” said head coach Gerard Gallant, per the Sun Sentinel. “Obviously, we changed some dynamics on our team. We’re more puck movers, more skill, quicker. Hopefully, that pays off.”

The Panthers kick things off tonight against New Jersey at BB&T Center. They’ve already been hit by injuries to Nick Bjugstad and Jonathan Huberdeau, two of their best forwards, so there’s more to watch than just the defense.

But make no mistake, this is a team that believes it’s got the roster to compete for a Stanley Cup, led by number-one center Aleksander Barkov and Ekblad, its number-one defenseman.

“There’s a core of players here that know: we’ve given you great teammates, we’re going to add people as the opportunities arise,” co-owner Doug Cifu told Yahoo Sports in July, “but it’s up to you guys to come together as a team and win multiple Stanley Cups and that’s the plan.”

Related: Yandle calls Panthers an ‘all-in organization,’ excited to play with Ekblad