"It wasn't a great start to our rival," said the Panthers' GM. "There's money on the line, and the Red Wings are a historically great team, so our players know what it means. We just fell flat on the onset."

The Panthers will have at least three more opportunities to put up wins against the Red Wings this season. If they win the season series, they will pocket the pool money spent by both teams and matched by the league.

"Tyler puts together great teams every season. Look at their rosters. They're Stanley Cup contenders. We might be the underdogs in this rivalry, but we're excited for the challenge."

Florida is off to a slow start this season, posting a 1-2-2 record in five games played. The bright spots are that the newest members in Larsen and Schenn, both free agent signings, are leading the team in points. Young forward Dylan Guenther, who has higher expectations this season, is also at the top with 4 points in five games.