The Florida Panthers clinched their straight Stanley Cup Final appearance with a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday night.

The Panthers have been getting key contributions throughout the lineup, with their starts like Sam Bennett, Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Aaron Ekblad leading the way.

But amid the tremendous performances from some crucial members, three players stand out among those who need to step up as the Cats are set to face a powerhouse Western Conference club, either the Dallas Stars or Edmonton Oilers.

3 underwhelming Florida Panthers players who need to step up in Stanley Cup Final

#3 Sam Reinhart

It might seem unusual to include Sam Reinhart in this list. But the Florida Panthers sniper has faded over the last few games. Granted, he’s been dealing with an injury that forced him to miss two games during the Carolina series.

But even as far back as the Toronto series, Reinhart had a few games where he didn’t live up to scratch. After scoring in Game 3 against Toronto, Reinhart notched two assists in Game 5, then had one marker in Game 7.

That’s not bad, but then Reinhart went silent in the first two games against Carolina before missing the next two. He came back in Game 5 and notched two assists. Moving forward, the Panthers hope that Reinhart will be ready to produce up to his usual standard in the Stanley Cup Final.

#2 Jesper Boqvist

Jesper Boqvist has been in and out of the lineup as his inconsistent production has led coach Paul Maurice to try different looks in the bottom six. Boqvist played two games in the Carolina series, logging 12:31 of ice time in Game 4.

Boqvist could draw into the lineup in the Stanley Cup Final, likely taking over for an injured player such as Eetu Luostarinen who left Game 5 with an undisclosed injury.

If Boqvist does get the call as Luostarinen heals, the team will be expecting grit and reliable defensive play, as Boqvist most probably slides in on the checking line.

#1 Gustav Forsling

Gustav Forsling was a force during last year’s playoffs. His impressive performance prompted many observers to declare him as the next great Florida Panthers blue liner. However, he hasn’t quite lived up to that billing this postseason.

While the addition of Seth Jones has taken some of that pressure off Forsling, the Panthers will be looking to get solid two-way play from the Swedish defenseman as the prospect of facing either the Edmonton Oilers or Dallas Stars will demand that every player step up.