FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Sharks saw, hopefully, their future on Saturday night.

I’m not talking about San Jose’s one-sided 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers or forcing goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to make 49 ultimately fruitless saves.

Tyler Toffoli scored a late goal.

I’m talking about the 2024 Stanley Cup champions and the distance between them and the rebuilding Sharks.

“They’re competitive, they’re big, they’re heavy. They get on you. They never quit” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said of the Panthers after Saturday’s morning skate. They come at you in waves. They got goaltending, they got the big defensemen. I mean, they’ve got it all. That’s the reason why they won the Stanley Cup. But what I like is they’re ultra-competitive.”