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The Florida Panthers are a professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
team based in the
Miami metropolitan area The Miami metropolitan area (also known as Greater Miami, the Tri-County Area, South Florida, or the Gold Coast) is the ninth largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States and the 34th largest metropolitan area in the world with a ...
. They compete in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and initially played their home games at
Miami Arena Miami Arena was an indoor arena located in Miami, Florida. The venue served as the home of the NBA's Miami Heat, and the NHL's Florida Panthers. From 1988 until 1999, it also was the indoor arena for the Miami Hurricanes. History Completed in ...
before moving to the
FLA Live Arena FLA Live Arena (previously known as the National Car Rental Center, Office Depot Center, BankAtlantic Center, and BB&T Center) is an indoor arena located next to Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Florida. It is the home venue for the Florida Panther ...
in 1998. Located in Sunrise, Florida, the Panthers are the southernmost team in the NHL. The team's local broadcasting rights have been held by
Bally Sports Florida Bally Sports Florida is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports. The channel broadcasts local sports coverage in the state of Florida, with a focus on professional sport ...
(formerly SportsChannel and Fox Sports Florida) since 1996. The Panthers are primarily affiliated with two minor league teams: the
Charlotte Checkers The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...
of the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
(AHL) and the
Florida Everblades The Florida Everblades are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Estero, Florida, in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area. They play in the ECHL and are affiliated with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (N ...
of the
ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The E ...
. The Panthers began playing in the
1993–94 NHL season The 1993–94 NHL season was the 77th regular season of the National Hockey League. The league expanded to 26 teams with the addition of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Florida Panthers. The New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in ...
, where they set the record for the most points by an expansion team in its inaugural season until surpassed by the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
in 2017–18. The team has made one appearance in the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
in 1996, eventually losing the Finals to the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
. Since then, the Panthers have only qualified for the
Stanley Cup playoffs The Stanley Cup playoffs (french: Les séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley) is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League (NHL) consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and the winner ...
seven times, not winning a playoff series again until
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, and have struggled to find sustained success.


History


Early years (1992–2000)

Blockbuster Video magnate
Wayne Huizenga Harry Wayne Huizenga Sr. (; December 29, 1937 – March 22, 2018) was an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He founded AutoNation and Waste Management Inc., and was the owner or co-owner of Blockbuster Video, the Miami ...
was awarded an NHL franchise for
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
on December 10, 1992, the same day
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
earned the rights to start a team in
Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
that would become the Mighty Ducks. At the time, Huizenga owned both the newly founded
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
and a share of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL)'s
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. The entry fee was $50 million. Huizenga announced the team would play at the
Miami Arena Miami Arena was an indoor arena located in Miami, Florida. The venue served as the home of the NBA's Miami Heat, and the NHL's Florida Panthers. From 1988 until 1999, it also was the indoor arena for the Miami Hurricanes. History Completed in ...
, sharing the building with the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
's
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...
, until a new arena was built. Offices for the team were only established in June 1993, while vice president of business operations Dean Jordan conceded that "none of the business people, myself included, knew anything about hockey." The new franchise would be the first professional ice hockey team in Miami since the folding of the
Tropical Hockey League The Tropical Hockey League (THL) was a short-lived ice hockey minor league in Miami, Florida. The initial league had four teams, all based in Miami, and lasted for only one season, 1938–39, before folding; it was briefly resurrected in 1940 bef ...
in 1939. On April 20, 1993, a press conference in Ft. Lauderdale announced that the team would be named Florida Panthers, with former
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
general manager
Bill Torrey William Arthur Torrey (June 23, 1934 – May 2, 2018) was a Canadian hockey executive. He served as a general manager in the National Hockey League for the Oakland Seals, New York Islanders, and Florida Panthers. He developed the Islanders in ...
as president and
Bobby Clarke Robert Earle Clarke (born August 13, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire 15-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team. Popular ...
as general manager. The team is named for the
Florida panther The Florida panther is a North American cougar (''P. c. couguar'') population in South Florida. It lives in pinelands, tropical hardwood hammocks, and mixed freshwater swamp forests. It is known under a number of common names including Costa R ...
, an endangered species of large cat
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the nearby
Everglades The Everglades is a natural region of tropical climate, tropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orland ...
region. Once the logos and uniforms were unveiled on June 15, the team also announced its financial commitment to the panther preservation cause. Huizenga had held the Panthers trademark since 1991, when he purchased it from a group of
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
investors who sought to create an MLB team in the Tampa Bay area. The new franchise joined the NHL for participation in the 1993–94 season, along with the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Mighty may refer to: * ''Mighty'' (The Planet Smashers album) * ''Mighty'' (Kristene DiMarco album) * ''The Mighty'' (1929 film), a 1929 American action film *''The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy-drama film * ''The Mighty'' (comics), a DC Comics title *Th ...
. The Panthers' and Ducks' rosters were filled in both the
expansion draft An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansio ...
and the 1993 NHL Entry Draft in June 1993, hosted by
Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
; that draft produced ten players who would eventually be a part of the 1996 Eastern Conference-winning team. The Panthers' first major stars were former
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...
John Vanbiesbrouck,
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
Rob Niedermayer Robert Wade Niedermayer Jr. (born December 28, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 17 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sa ...
and forward
Scott Mellanby Scott Edgar Mellanby (born June 11, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He primarily played right wing throughout his NHL career, on occasion shifting over to the left side. He is the son of former ''H ...
, who scored 30 goals in Florida's inaugural season. Their first game was a 4–4 tie on the road against the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
, while their first win was a 2–0 shutout of the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
in the Thunderdome before a then-NHL record crowd of 27,227. The Panthers had one of the most successful first seasons of any
expansion team An expansion team is a new team in a sports league, usually from a city that has not hosted a team in that league before, formed with the intention of satisfying the demand for a local team from a population in a new area. Sporting leagues also ...
in league history, finishing just two points below .500 and narrowly missing out on the final 1994 playoff spot in the East. Their first-year success was attributed mainly to the trap defense that first-year coach
Roger Neilson Roger Paul Neilson, (June 16, 1934 – June 21, 2003) was a Canadian professional ice hockey coach, most notably in the NHL, where he served with eight teams in a checkered career. Known as Captain Video because of his technological contributi ...
implemented. This conservative style was widely criticized by NHL teams; some even suggested that the Panthers were ruining the game. While the team executives expected the audience to consist of mostly "
snowbird Snowbird is a common name for the dark-eyed junco (''Junco hyemalis''). Snowbird may also refer to: Places *Snowbird, Utah, an unincorporated area and associated ski resort *Snowbird Lake, a lake in the Northwest Territories, Canada *Snowbird ...
" Canadians living in Florida, the Floridians soon embraced the Panthers. Helped by Miami's other teams having middling performances, the club averaged 94% capacity at the 14,500-seat Miami Arena, and sold 8,500 season tickets in 100 days. In August 1994, general manager Clarke left to work for the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
; Bryan Murray was brought in from the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
as his replacement. After another close brush with the playoffs, finishing the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season again in ninth, Neilson was fired following an argument with Murray regarding
Ed Jovanovski Edward Jovanovski (born June 26, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent. Jovanovski played major junior ice hockey for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires ...
, whom the Panthers chose as the number one overall pick at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.
Doug MacLean James Douglas MacLean (born April 12, 1954) is a Canadian sportscaster working for Rogers Media's Sportsnet and former ice hockey coach and general manager. He is the former president/general manager and head coach of the National Hockey League ...
, who had been the team's player development director, was promoted to coach. The team then acquired
Ray Sheppard Raymond Garfield Sheppard (born May 27, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1987 to 2000. Sheppard was born in Pembroke, Ontario, but grew up in Petawawa, Ontario. ...
from the
San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
at the
NHL trade deadline In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...
and looked toward the playoffs for the first time.


Rat trick and a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals

A very unusual goal celebration developed in Miami during the 1995–96 season. On the night of the Panthers' 1995–96 home opener, a rat scurried across the team's locker room. Scott Mellanby reacted by " one-timing" the rat against the wall, killing it. That night, he scored two goals, which Vanbiesbrouck quipped was "a
rat trick The rat trick was a celebration performed by fans of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL) during their 1995–96 season, in which plastic rats were thrown onto the ice to celebrate goals. The term, a play on hat trick, was coi ...
." Two nights later, as the story found its way into the world, a few fans threw rubber rats on the ice in celebration of a goal. The
rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...
rat count went from 16 for the third home game to over 2,000 during the playoffs. In the 1996 playoffs, as the fourth seed in the East, the Panthers faced the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
in the first round and won in five games.
Bill Lindsay William Hamilton Lindsay (born May 17, 1971) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Quebec Nordiques, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Montreal Canadiens and t ...
's series-clinching goal is still a trademark image for the run the third-year franchise went on. The Panthers went on to upset the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in six games followed by the second-seeded
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
in seven (with Tom Fitzgerald scoring what would end up being the game-winning goal) to reach the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
against the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
, another team making its first Finals appearance. The Avalanche, however, swept the Panthers in four games. Despite losing in the Finals, the Panthers set a record for most wins by an expansion team in their first postseason appearance with 12 victories (this record would later be broken by the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
during their inaugural season in 2017–18). For his team's surprising success, Bryan Murray was honored as NHL Executive of the Year. The Panthers began the next season with a 12–game unbeaten streak, but faded in the second half of the season after trading second line center
Stu Barnes Stuart Douglas Barnes (born December 25, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played 16 seasons at centre in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Dallas Stars. He cur ...
. They lost in five games in the first round of the playoffs to the
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
-led
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
. The team would plummet in the 1997–98 season. After a 7–12–4 start, the Panthers fired Doug MacLean, replacing him for the season with general manager Bryan Murray. The change did not aid matters, as Florida posted a franchise-worst 24–43–15 record, including a 15–game winless streak. This season also marked the end of goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck's time in Florida; in the midst of that streak, he was shelled by the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
and never played another game for the Panthers. In the following off-season, Vanbiesbrouck signed with the Flyers as a free agent.


New arena and a decade of struggles (1998–2010)

The Panthers moved into the brand new National Car Rental Center (later Office Depot, BankAtlantic Center, and BB&T Center, now known as
FLA Live Arena FLA Live Arena (previously known as the National Car Rental Center, Office Depot Center, BankAtlantic Center, and BB&T Center) is an indoor arena located next to Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Florida. It is the home venue for the Florida Panther ...
) in 1998. In 1998–99, they acquired
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
(the "Russian Rocket"), in a blockbuster trade with the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
. They then reached the playoffs again in 1999–2000, losing in a first-round sweep to the eventual
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
champion
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
. The team slumped in 2000–01. Afterward, Huizenga sold the Panthers to an ownership group led by Alan Cohen. The following season, 2001–02, the Panthers had their worst record ever. Bure struggled despite being reunited with his brother Valeri, and was traded to the Rangers at the 2002 trade deadline. The Panthers then began eyeing defenceman
Jay Bouwmeester Jay Daniel Bouwmeester (born September 27, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played seventeen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues. He was a firs ...
, who was widely tipped to be picked first overall pick at the 2002 Draft. However, then-general manager
Rick Dudley Richard Clarence Dudley (born January 31, 1949) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive, former coach and former player. Dudley is presently serving as a Senior Advisor for the Florida Panthers. Dudley has previously served as an executiv ...
sent Florida's first pick to the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
, who selected winger
Rick Nash Richard McLaren Nash (born June 16, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who serves as the director of player development for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). After being selected first overal ...
, and in return, the Panthers received the right to trade first-round selections with the Blue Jackets in the 2003 Draft, a right which was not exercised when the Panthers received the first overall selection in 2003 as well. The
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
, after picking goaltender
Kari Lehtonen Kari Lehtonen (born November 16, 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Thrashers and Dallas Stars. He was selected second overall in the 2002 NHL Ent ...
second overall, announced that the Panthers had given them two draft picks to guarantee that Bouwmeester would still be available for Florida's selection. Bouwmeester was selected third overall by the Panthers. Said then-head coach
Mike Keenan Michael Edward Keenan (born October 21, 1949) is a Canadian professional hockey coach who most recently coached the Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League. Previously, he served as head coach and/or general manager with several NHL team ...
, "We shouldn't have done that ... Jay would have been number-one if we'd kept that pick." In 2003, the Panthers hosted the NHL All-Star Weekend in which the Western Conference earned a 6–5 victory after the first overtime shootout in All-Star history. The West overcame a four-goal outburst by Thrashers winger
Dany Heatley Daniel "Dany" James Heatley (born January 21, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the National ...
, who took home MVP honors in his first All-Star appearance. On June 23, 2006, the Panthers were again involved in a blockbuster trade with Vancouver, sending
Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
, Lukas Krajicek and a sixth-round draft pick (
Sergei Shirokov Sergei Sergeyevich Shirokov (russian: Серге́й Серге́евич Широков, ; born 10 March 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey winger currently with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Prior ...
) in exchange for
Todd Bertuzzi Todd Bertuzzi (born February 2, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), winger of the National Hockey League (NHL). Known as a power forward (ice hockey), power forward, he has played in the NHL for the New York ...
,
Alex Auld Alexander James Auld (born January 7, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Auld played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Dal ...
and Bryan Allen. This trade has been regarded by some as one of the worst trades in professional sports history – Luongo, who was at the prime of his career, was one of the League's top goaltenders, while Bertuzzi played just a handful of games for Florida before getting injured. He would later be traded to Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline for Shawn Matthias. Additionally, Auld ended up a poor replacement for Luongo, and was ultimately let go after one season with the team. On June 22, 2007, the Panthers were involved in yet another draft-day deal involving a goaltender. The team acquired
Tomas Vokoun Tomas may refer to: People * Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name * Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name * Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name * Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian surna ...
from the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
in exchange for three draft picks – a first-round pick in 2008, a second-round pick in 2008 and a conditional second-round pick that can be used in 2007 or 2008. The move would eventually pay off when Vokoun was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. On July 28, 2007, Florida unveiled their new jerseys to over 11,000 fans at the BankAtlantic Center during the first intermission of the Panthers' 1996 Reunion game. Star forwards
Nathan Horton Nathan Russell Horton (born May 29, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career, Horton played for the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was drafted third overall by the Panthers in the ...
and
Stephen Weiss Stephen Weiss (born April 3, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who most recently played for the Detroit Red Wings, as well as the Florida Panthers, who drafted him fourth overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Weiss holds ...
were both in full gear to help showcase the sweater changes. In June 2008, the Panthers traded their captain
Olli Jokinen Olli Veli Pekka Jokinen (born December 5, 1978) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings third overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, with whom he made his NHL debut. He has also played for th ...
to the
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
for a second-round draft pick and defensemen
Keith Ballard Keith Galen Ballard (born November 26, 1982) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who previously played in the National Hockey League with the Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild. He played ...
and
Nick Boynton Nicholas Carl Boynton (born January 14, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Black ...
. The Panthers finished the 2008–09 season with a strong 41–30–11 record and 93 points, their second-highest finish in franchise history. Despite this, however, the Panthers missed the playoffs for an eighth-straight season, the then-longest streak in the NHL. In November 2009,
Cliff Viner Clifford G. Viner (born 1948)Busin ...
and Stu Siegel became the new majority owners. On November 23, 2009, the Panthers made their third jersey, ridding red from the alternate jersey, replacing it with powder blue. The Panthers missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive time in the 2009–10 season, making them the first team in NHL history to do so in one city.


Dale Tallon era (2010–2020)

Panthers management hired
Dale Tallon Michael "Dale" Tallon (born October 19, 1950) is a Canadian ice hockey executive and former player. He played in the NHL for ten years as a defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Following his retir ...
as the team's new general manager on May 17, 2010. Tallon rebuilt the team with
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
draft picks
Erik Gudbranson Erik Donald Stanley Gudbranson (born January 7, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing under contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected third overall by t ...
,
Nick Bjugstad Nicholas Jay Bjugstad (born July 17, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Florida Panthers in the first round (19th overall) of t ...
and
Quinton Howden Quinton Howden (born January 21, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He last played for Kölner Haie of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in t ...
, as well as the acquisition of players, including
Steve Bernier Steve Bernier (born March 31, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. Selected in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks, Bernier would play for the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, Vanco ...
,
Michael Grabner Michael-René Grabner (born 5 October 1987) is an Austrian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Grabner grew up playing for the local team in Villach, EC VSV. He moved to North America at the age of 17 and ...
,
Marty Reasoner Martin Ernest Reasoner (born February 26, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers and ...
, Ryan Carter and
Sergei Samsonov Sergei Viktorovich Samsonov (russian: Серге́й Ви́кторович Самсо́нов, ''Sergej Viktorovič Samsonov''; born October 27, 1978) is a Russian former professional ice hockey forward who is now a scout for the Carolina Hurric ...
. All of the above-mentioned players, however, were traded at the 2011 trade deadline or released during the 2011 off-season, save for Gudbranson, Bjugstad and Howden. At the end of the 2010–11 season, just Stephen Weiss and David Booth remained from the pre-lockout era Panthers roster. On June 1, 2011,
Kevin Dineen Kevin William Dineen (born October 28, 1963) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. , Dineen is the head coach of the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League (AHL). Dineen previously served as the head coach for the Fl ...
, head coach of the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
(AHL)'s
Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home arena was the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks fr ...
, was named to be the 11th head coach of the Panthers. The team also rebranded their image, releasing a new home jersey, predominantly red with navy blue sleeves, and eliminating the navy blue piping on the road jersey; this new replaced the navy blue one as the main home jersey. The 2011 off-season saw the acquisitions of
Scottie Upshall Scott Upshall (born October 7, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He was selected in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators in the first round, sixth overall. Playing career Amateur As a youth, Upshall p ...
, Tomas Fleischmann,
Sean Bergenheim Sean Bergenheim (born February 8, 1984) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild. Playing career Be ...
,
Marcel Goc Marcel Goc (; born 24 August 1983) is a German former professional ice hockey player. Goc's father Josef played hockey in his native Czechoslovakia, he has two brothers who also play professional hockey. His older brother Sascha has played for ...
,
Matt Bradley Matthew William Bradley (born June 13, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey scout and former player. He currently is a scout for the Washington Capitals. Bradley played in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh ...
,
Ed Jovanovski Edward Jovanovski (born June 26, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent. Jovanovski played major junior ice hockey for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires ...
,
Jose Theodore Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galile ...
,
Kris Versteeg Kristopher Royce Versteeg (born May 13, 1986) is a Canadian entrepreneur and former professional ice hockey winger. During his career, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hur ...
, Tomas Kopecky and Brian Campbell. After several more trades and over 300-man-games lost to injury throughout the season, the Panthers were able to finish first in the Southeast Division, marking the end of their record-setting decade-long postseason drought. The Panthers won the first-ever division title in franchise history with a 4–1 victory over the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
on April 7, 2012. However, the Panthers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils, losing at home in double overtime of Game 7. In the
lockout Lockout may refer to: * Lockout (industry), a type of work stoppage **Dublin Lockout, a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers 1913 - 1914 * Lockout (sports), lockout in sports leagues **MLB lockout, lock ...
-shortened 2013 season, the Panthers had an abysmal season. Unable to regain their form from last season, the Panthers suffered key injuries and fell back down into the basement with the worst record in the League. In the 2013–14 season, the Panthers failed to gain any momentum and finished 29th out of 30 teams. The team then fired head coach Kevin Dineen and replaced him with
Peter Horachek Peter Horachek (born January 26, 1960) is currently an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). Horachek was previously a long-time assistant coach for the Nashville Predators, as well as the interim head coac ...
. At the trade deadline, the Panthers reacquired Roberto Luongo from Vancouver. The Panthers would relieve Horachek of his duties at the end of the season, replacing him with former
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
head coach
Gerard Gallant Gerard Gallant (born September 2, 1963) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously served as the head coach for the Columbus Blue ...
. The team also received the first overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, using it to select Barrie Colts defenseman
Aaron Ekblad Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall ...
. The Panthers' 2014–15 home opener on October 12, 2014, set a team record for the lowest attendance at a home opener, with only 11,419 spectators in attendance. The team's next game against the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
marked the team's lowest attendance ever, with only 7,311 in attendance. Despite finishing with a record of 38–29–15, the Panthers missed the 2015 playoffs by seven points. On December 8, 2015, the Panthers announced that they signed a 13-year lease, and an $86 million funding agreement with
Broward County Broward County ( , ) is a county in the southeastern part of Florida, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's second-most populous county after Miami-Dade County and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with over 1.94 m ...
and would have a new logo and uniforms after the 2015–16 season. Their original logo had remained almost unchanged since their first season in 1993. In the 2015–16 season, the team set a franchise record with a 12-game win streak. They also set a franchise record for most wins in a regular season with 47 wins and won their division for the second time in their existence. However, the Panthers lost to the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
in six games in the first round of the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
; this would be the first playoff series win for the Islanders since the 1992–93 season. Head coach Gerard Gallant was nominated as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, which recognizes the NHL Coach of the Year. The 2016–17 season began with the promotion of general manager Dale Tallon to an executive position within the organization and assistant general manager Tom Rowe was promoted to general manager. After an 11–10–1 start to the season, the Panthers fired head coach Gerard Gallant and general manager Tom Rowe took over as interim head coach. At the end of the season, Rowe was relieved of his duties as both coach and general manager and was named special advisor to Tallon, who returned to positions of team president and general manager. On June 12, 2017, the Panthers named
Bob Boughner Robert Douglas Boughner ( ; born March 8, 1971), nicknamed "The Boogieman", is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an associate coach for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). As head ...
as their new head coach. The 2017–18 season began with a 19–22–6 record leading up to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. The Panthers then went on a 25–8–2 run in their last 35 games, ending up one point short of a playoff berth. Their 44–30–8 record earned 96 regular season points, tying the league record of the 2014–15 Boston Bruins and the 2018–19 Montreal Canadiens for the team with the most regular season points to miss the postseason. On April 7, 2019, the Panthers fired Boughner after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season. The next day,
Joel Quenneville Joel Norman Quenneville (born September 15, 1958) is a Canadian–American ice hockey coach and former player in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Coach Q", he is second in NHL coaching wins at 969 behind Scotty Bowman. Quenneville ac ...
was named the 16th head coach of the Panthers. On August 10, 2020, after nine years as general manager, the Panthers and Tallon mutually agreed to part ways, following the team's elimination in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. In Tallon's tenure, the Panthers qualified for the
Stanley Cup Playoffs The Stanley Cup playoffs (french: Les séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley) is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League (NHL) consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and the winner ...
three times, in
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
,
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
, and
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
.


Arrival of Bill Zito, return to dominance (2020–present)

Panthers management hired
Bill Zito William Francis Zito, Jr. (born September 16, 1964) is an American ice hockey executive, former attorney and professional sports agent currently serving as general manager of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Early life ...
to succeed Tallon as the team's general manager on September 2, 2020. During the shortened 2020–21 NHL season, the Panthers compiled 79 points in 56 games played, finishing the season in second place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
. As such, they were pitted against division and statewide rival, the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
, in the first round of the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
. They were defeated in 6 games to the eventual
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
champions, for yet another 1st round exit. In the 2021–22 season, Quenneville led the Panthers to a 7–0–0 record through the team's first seven games, but he would resign from his coaching duties as a result of the fallout from the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal on October 28, 2021. The next day, the Panthers named former NHL player
Andrew Brunette Andrew D. Brunette (born August 24, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an associate coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). As a player, Brunette played over 1,100 car ...
their interim head coach. On April 3, 2022, the Panthers became the first team during the 2021–22 season to clinch a postseason berth, when they defeated the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
at home, 5–3. This victory was also Florida's 48th of the season, breaking their previous record set during
2015–16 NHL season The 2015–16 NHL season was the 99th season of operation (98th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). Thirty teams competed in 82-game regular season schedules from October 7, 2015 to April 10, 2016. The 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs ...
. Three weeks later, on April 21, 2022, following a 5–2 victory over the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
, the Panthers crowned themselves as Atlantic Division champions for the first time since the 2015–16 season. The victory was also Florida's 12th consecutive, dating all the way back to a 7–4 win over the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
on March 29. This win streak matched another one achieved during the 2015–16 season, tying the franchise record. With the win, the Panthers improved to a stellar 56–15–6 record, tallying 118 points, and overcoming the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
in the quest for the
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
. After an Avalanche defeat, and a Panthers 4–0 victory over the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
on April 28, the Panthers clinched the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history. They would end the regular season with 122 points, with a 58–18–6 record, the best record registered in the league since division rivals
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
in 2018–19. On May 13, the Panthers advanced past the first round for the first time in 26 years, dating all the way back to the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, by beating the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
in six games, eliminating them with a 4–3 overtime victory. However, their luck would run out in the Second Round, as the Panthers were swept in four games by the archrival the Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida went completely dry offensively, scoring only three goals throughout the whole four-game series.


Logo and uniforms

The Florida Panthers have had just two primary logos over the course of their history. Their first logo, used from 1993 to 2016, depicted a leaping panther. Other logos from the era included an alternate version of the "leaping panther" logo, this time holding a pair of broken hockey sticks, and a logo depicting a yellow sun behind a hockey stick and a palm tree. The "leaping panther" logo was redesigned and relegated to an alternate logo when the Panthers unveiled a new logo in the 2016–17 season. The current primary logo is a shield with the profile of a panther head below the word "Florida"; the same logo with the word "Panthers" above is also used interchangeably. The Panthers' first uniform set was used from 1993 to 2007. The red road and white home uniforms featured the leaping panther crest in front and the alternate palm tree logo on the shoulders. Diagonal stripes accentuated the sleeves and the yoke design was triangular in shape. Yellow and navy were used as accent colors. In 1998, the Panthers debuted an alternate navy uniform, with the front crest depicting the leaping panther holding a pair of broken hockey sticks. Prior to the 2003–04 season, the navy uniform became the primary home uniform while the red uniform was relegated to alternate status. The crests on both uniforms were also switched. Adopting the
Reebok Reebok International Limited () is an American fitness footwear and clothing manufacturer that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company ...
Edge template in 2007, the Panthers revealed new uniform designs. The navy and white uniforms sported a thicker stripe on each sleeve along with added piping. In 2009, the Panthers unveiled a navy alternate uniform, featuring a roundel crest depicting a panther head surrounded by the team name. Powder blue replaced red as trim color and the alternate "FLA" sunshine logo was placed on the shoulders. This uniform was used for three seasons. Before the 2011–12 season, the Panthers retired their primary navy uniforms and returned to wearing red uniforms at home. The piping on the chest was also eliminated. The Panthers overhauled their visual design prior to the 2016–17 season, replacing yellow with flat gold as trim color. Red uniforms featured the shield logo with the team name, while the white uniforms used the variation with the city name. An alternate logo featuring the
flag of Florida The Flag of Florida is the state flag of Florida, United States. It consists of a red saltire on a white background, with the state seal superimposed on the center. The flag's current design has been in use since May 21, 1985, after the design ...
below a crawling panther is added on the sleeves. Both sets feature thick contrasting stripes on the chest and sleeves. The basic design was retained once
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
took over as supplier prior to the 2017–18 season. For the 2020–21 season, the Panthers released a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, essentially a recoloring of the team's original uniform. In this case, the Panthers wore their original 1990s "leaping panther" uniform, but with a navy base and flat gold replacing yellow as a trim color. A second "Reverse Retro" uniform was unveiled, again using the same 1990s-era template but with a powder blue base (a nod to the 2009–12 navy alternates) and the alternate palm tree, sun and stick logo in front.


Season-by-season record

''This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Panthers. For the full season-by-season history, see
List of Florida Panthers seasons This article is a list of seasons completed by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Florida Panthers. This list documents the records and playoff results for all seasons the Florida Panthers have completed in the NHL since their inception in 1993. T ...
.'' ''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''


Players


Current roster


Team captains

*
Brian Skrudland Brian Norman Skrudland (born July 31, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars. Playing career Junior Skrudland playe ...
, 1993–1997 *
Scott Mellanby Scott Edgar Mellanby (born June 11, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He primarily played right wing throughout his NHL career, on occasion shifting over to the left side. He is the son of former ''H ...
, 1997–2001 *
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
&
Paul Laus Paul Laus (born September 26, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Florida Panthers. Laus was the last original members of the Panthers. Career Born in Beamsville, Onta ...
, 2001–2002 *
Olli Jokinen Olli Veli Pekka Jokinen (born December 5, 1978) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings third overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, with whom he made his NHL debut. He has also played for th ...
, 2003–2008 *
Bryan McCabe Bryan McCabe (born June 8, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in over 1,000 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) playing for the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple ...
, 2009–2011 *
Ed Jovanovski Edward Jovanovski (born June 26, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent. Jovanovski played major junior ice hockey for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires ...
, 2013–2014 * Willie Mitchell, 2014–2016 *
Derek MacKenzie Derek MacKenzie (born June 11, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who most notably played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 128th o ...
, 2016–2018 *
Aleksander Barkov Aleksander Aleksandrovich "Sasha" Barkov (russian: Александр Александрович Барков; born 2 September 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ...
, 2018–present


League and team honors


Awards and trophies

Prince of Wales Trophy The Prince of Wales Trophy, also known as the Wales Trophy, is a team award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL). Named for Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor), it has been awarded for diffe ...
* 1995–96
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, also known as the Rocket Richard Trophy, is awarded annually to the leading goal scorer in the National Hockey League (NHL). It was donated to the NHL by the Montreal Canadiens in and is named in honour of leg ...
*
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
: 1999–2000, 2000–01 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy * Brian Campbell: 2011–12 *
Aleksander Barkov Aleksander Aleksandrovich "Sasha" Barkov (russian: Александр Александрович Барков; born 2 September 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ...
: 2018–19
Calder Memorial Trophy The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
*
Jonathan Huberdeau Jonathan Huberdeau (born June 4, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and an alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Huberdeau was selected third overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2011 NH ...
: 2012–13 *
Aaron Ekblad Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall ...
: 2014–15
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL h ...
*
Jaromir Jagr Jaromír, Jaromir, Jaroměr is a Slavic male given name. Origin and meaning Jaromír is a West Slavic given name composed of two stems ''jaro'' and ''mír''. The meaning is not definite: *Polish ''jary'' (archaic) = „spry, young, strong“; ''m ...
: 2015–16
Frank J. Selke Trophy The Frank J. Selke Trophy, or simply the Selke Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey W ...
*
Aleksander Barkov Aleksander Aleksandrovich "Sasha" Barkov (russian: Александр Александрович Барков; born 2 September 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ...
:
2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
* 2021–22


First-round draft picks

* 1993:
Rob Niedermayer Robert Wade Niedermayer Jr. (born December 28, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 17 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sa ...
(5th overall) *
1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
:
Ed Jovanovski Edward Jovanovski (born June 26, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent. Jovanovski played major junior ice hockey for two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires ...
(1st overall) *
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
:
Radek Dvorak Radek is a masculine Christian name of Slavic origin. It is often nickname of Radovan, Ctirad and Radoslav. It is used as a surname and given name. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Radek Baborák, Czech conductor and French ...
(10th overall) * 1996:
Marcus Nilson Marcus Rolf Börje Nilson (born March 1, 1978) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames. Playing career Nilson was drafted in the first round, ...
(20th overall) *
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
: Mike Brown (20th overall) * 1998: None * 1999:
Denis Shvidki Denis Aleksandrovich Shvidki (russian: Денис Александрович Швидкий; born November 21, 1980) is a Ukrainian-born Russian former professional ice hockey right wing who played 76 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with ...
(12th overall) *
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
: None * 2001:
Stephen Weiss Stephen Weiss (born April 3, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who most recently played for the Detroit Red Wings, as well as the Florida Panthers, who drafted him fourth overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Weiss holds ...
(4th overall) & Lukas Krajicek (24th overall) *
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
:
Jay Bouwmeester Jay Daniel Bouwmeester (born September 27, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played seventeen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues. He was a firs ...
(3rd overall) &
Petr Taticek Petr is a Czech given name for males and a Czech surname. Petr is the Czech form of ''Peter''. For information on Petr as a first name, see Peter (given name). Given name * Petr Aven (born 1955), Russian billionaire banker, economist and polit ...
(9th overall) * 2003:
Nathan Horton Nathan Russell Horton (born May 29, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career, Horton played for the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was drafted third overall by the Panthers in the ...
(3rd overall) & Anthony Stewart (25th overall) * 2004 NHL Entry Draft, 2004: Rostislav Olesz (7th overall) * 2005 NHL Entry Draft, 2005: Kenndal McArdle (20th overall) * 2006 NHL Entry Draft, 2006: Michael Frolík, Michael Frolik (10th overall) * 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 2007: Keaton Ellerby (10th overall) * 2008 NHL Entry Draft, 2008: None * 2009 NHL Entry Draft, 2009: Dmitri Kulikov (ice hockey), Dmitri Kulikov (14th overall) *
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
:
Erik Gudbranson Erik Donald Stanley Gudbranson (born January 7, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing under contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected third overall by t ...
(3rd overall),
Nick Bjugstad Nicholas Jay Bjugstad (born July 17, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Florida Panthers in the first round (19th overall) of t ...
(19th overall) &
Quinton Howden Quinton Howden (born January 21, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He last played for Kölner Haie of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in t ...
(25th overall) * 2011 NHL Entry Draft, 2011:
Jonathan Huberdeau Jonathan Huberdeau (born June 4, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and an alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Huberdeau was selected third overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2011 NH ...
(3rd overall) * 2012 NHL Entry Draft, 2012: Mike Matheson (23rd overall) * 2013 NHL Entry Draft, 2013:
Aleksander Barkov Aleksander Aleksandrovich "Sasha" Barkov (russian: Александр Александрович Барков; born 2 September 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ...
(2nd overall) * 2014 NHL Entry Draft, 2014:
Aaron Ekblad Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall ...
(1st overall) * 2015 NHL Entry Draft, 2015: Lawson Crouse (11th overall) * 2016 NHL Entry Draft, 2016: Henrik Borgström, Henrik Borgstrom (23rd overall) * 2017 NHL Entry Draft, 2017: Owen Tippett (10th overall) * 2018 NHL Entry Draft, 2018: Grigori Denisenko (15th overall) * 2019 NHL Entry Draft, 2019: Spencer Knight (13th overall) * 2020 NHL Entry Draft, 2020: Anton Lundell (12th overall) * 2021 NHL Entry Draft, 2021: Mackie Samoskevich (24th overall) * 2022 NHL Entry Draft, 2022: None


Hockey Hall of Fame inductees

The Florida Panthers have an affiliation with a number of inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Inductees affiliated with the Panthers include six former players and two builders of the sport. Builders that have an affiliation with the Panthers include former head coach Roger Nielson, and
Bill Torrey William Arthur Torrey (June 23, 1934 – May 2, 2018) was a Canadian hockey executive. He served as a general manager in the National Hockey League for the Oakland Seals, New York Islanders, and Florida Panthers. He developed the Islanders in ...
, former general manager of the Panthers. Former play-by-play commentator, Dave Strader was also a recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame, for his contributions in hockey broadcasting.


NHL All-Star Game selections

;Players * 45th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1994: Bob Kudelski, John Vanbiesbrouck * 46th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1996:
Scott Mellanby Scott Edgar Mellanby (born June 11, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He primarily played right wing throughout his NHL career, on occasion shifting over to the left side. He is the son of former ''H ...
, John Vanbiesbrouck * 47th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1997: Róbert Švehla, Robert Svehla, John Vanbiesbrouck * 50th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2000:
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
, Viktor Kozlov, Ray Whitney (ice hockey), Ray Whitney * 51st National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2001: Pavel Bure * 52nd National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2002: Sandis Ozoliņš, Sandis Ozolinsh * 53rd National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2003:
Olli Jokinen Olli Veli Pekka Jokinen (born December 5, 1978) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings third overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, with whom he made his NHL debut. He has also played for th ...
, Sandis Ozolinsh * 54th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2004:
Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
* 55th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2007:
Jay Bouwmeester Jay Daniel Bouwmeester (born September 27, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played seventeen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues. He was a firs ...
* 56th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2008:
Tomas Vokoun Tomas may refer to: People * Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name * Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name * Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name * Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian surna ...
* 57th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2009: Jay Bouwmeester * 59th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2012: Brian Campbell * 60th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2015:
Aaron Ekblad Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall ...
, Roberto Luongo * 61st National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2016: Aaron Ekblad,
Jaromir Jagr Jaromír, Jaromir, Jaroměr is a Slavic male given name. Origin and meaning Jaromír is a West Slavic given name composed of two stems ''jaro'' and ''mír''. The meaning is not definite: *Polish ''jary'' (archaic) = „spry, young, strong“; ''m ...
, Roberto Luongo * 62nd National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2017: Vincent Trocheck * 63rd National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2018: Aleksander Barkov Jr., Aleksander Barkov * 64th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2019: Keith Yandle * 65th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2020:
Jonathan Huberdeau Jonathan Huberdeau (born June 4, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and an alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Huberdeau was selected third overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2011 NH ...
* 66th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2022: Jonathan Huberdeau ;Head coaches *
Doug MacLean James Douglas MacLean (born April 12, 1954) is a Canadian sportscaster working for Rogers Media's Sportsnet and former ice hockey coach and general manager. He is the former president/general manager and head coach of the National Hockey League ...
, 46th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1996, 47th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1997 *
Gerard Gallant Gerard Gallant (born September 2, 1963) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously served as the head coach for the Columbus Blue ...
, 61st National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2016 *
Andrew Brunette Andrew D. Brunette (born August 24, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an associate coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). As a player, Brunette played over 1,100 car ...
, 66th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2022


Retired numbers

*The NHL retired
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
's No. 99 for all its member teams at the 50th National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2000 NHL All-Star Game.


Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top-ten-point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season. * – current Panthers player ''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game''


Franchise individual records

* Most goals in a season:
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
, 59 (2000–01) * Most assists in a season:
Jonathan Huberdeau Jonathan Huberdeau (born June 4, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and an alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Huberdeau was selected third overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2011 NH ...
, 85 (2021–22) * Most points in a season: Jonathan Huberdeau, 115 (2021–22) * Most penalty minutes in a season: Peter Worrell, 354 (2001–02) * Most points in a season, defenseman: Keith Yandle, 62 (2018–19) * Most points in a season, rookie: Jesse Belanger, 50 (1993–94) * Highest +/- in a season: Gustav Forsling, +41 (2021–22) * Most wins in a season: Sergei Bobrovsky, 39 (2021–22) * Most saves in a shutout win: Craig Anderson (ice hockey), Craig Anderson, 53 * Most shutouts in a season:
Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
(2003–04), Tomas Vokoun (2009–10), 7 * All-time leader in goals against average: Tomas Vokoun, 2.57 * All-time leader in shutouts:
Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
, 38 * All-time leader in games played by a goaltender:
Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
, 572 * All-time leader in wins by a goaltender:
Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...
, 230


Other honors

Featured EA Sports NHL 97 cover athlete: John Vanbiesbrouck.


See also

* List of Florida Panthers general managers * List of Florida Panthers head coaches * List of Florida Panthers players


References


External links

* {{Authority control Florida Panthers, National Hockey League teams 1993 establishments in Florida Atlantic Division (NHL) National Hockey League in Florida, Panthers Ice hockey clubs established in 1993 Ice hockey teams in Miami