FORT LAUDERDALE – Aleksander Barkov sometimes still can’t believe it.

More than once this summer, the Florida Panthers captain admits he woke up in the morning and for a brief moment felt maybe all of it had just been a really nice dream.

But after wiping the sleep out of his eyes, the blissful reality always set in.

The Panthers are still Stanley Cup champions.

“Every day, I’m really happy and still think about it,” Barkov said during the team’s annual Media Day at Baptist Health Ice Plex on Wednesday. “It’s going to be in my mind over and over that we’re Stanley Cup champions, but the hunger to achieve more is also there.”

Despite being less than three months removed from their historic 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers, who lost the Vegas Golden Knights in the Final the year before, will soon begin their championship defense.

Training camp beings Thursday.

Opening Night against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 8.

After the banner is raised, it’s full speed ahead.

“We knew it was going to be a short offseason for us, but that’s what everyone wants,” Barkov said of the quick turnaround. “Everyone wants to play until the end, to play in the Finals and win the Cup. Everyone is really excited. The guys that have been here for a while and the new guys, we’re all on the same page. We’re all excited for the new opportunity.”

With the vast majority of the team’s core returning — including all eight of their top scorers from the playoffs as well as future Hall of Fame goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky – the Panthers certainly look like a deep team that’s ready to make some noise once again in 2024-25.

In the history of the NHL, only six teams have made three straight trips to the Final.

The goal for the Panthers this season is to be number seven.

“We just want to achieve more,” Barkov said. “We want to win it again.”

We.

That’s the word that really stands out.

With only a few new faces in the locker room, the Panthers are confident they can keep the Cup in South Florida for a second straight season because, well, they all just won it together a few months ago.

If anything, they’re now more equipped to make a Cup run than ever before.

Even though it’s time to turn the page, nothing changes.

For the most part, these are the same Panthers we saw lift Lord Stanley in June.

“I don’t think it’s changed me as a person or anything like that,” Barkov said. “I’m proud of that achievement, what we did as a team. Winning a Stanley Cup was my dream, one of the biggest dreams of my life, and we achieved that. I’m really proud and happy we did that.”

The dream now is to be a two-time champion.

For updates throughout training camp, stay tuned to FloridaPanthers.com.