- 1993
- 1998
- 2013
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Florida Panthers Team Formation
Blockbuster Video magnate Wayne Huizenga was awarded an NHL franchise for Miami on December 10, 1992, the same day The Walt Disney Company earned the right to start a team in Anaheim. The entry fee was $50 million, but despite fellow Florida team Tampa Bay Lightning starting to play the year before, the league did not consider to be any ... -
National Car Rental Center Opens
In 1992, Wayne Huizenga obtained a new NHL franchise that would eventually become the Florida Panthers. Until the team had an arena of their own, they initially played at the now-demolished Miami Arena, sharing the venue with the NBA’s Miami Heat. Sunrise City Manager Pat Salerno made public a $167-million financing and construction plan for a civic center near the ... -
Sunrise Sports & Entertainment
Despite media reports saying Vincent Viola paid between $230 million and $250 million for the Panthers, operating rights to the BB&T Center and other Sunrise Sports & Entertainment entities in 2013, the West Point graduate actually paid an enterprise value of closer to $160 million. With the Panthers hampered by low attendance, Viola and his partner, Doug Cifu, have said ...
History of the Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the state of Florida. The team was founded in 1993 as an expansion franchise and has been part of the National Hockey League (NHL) since then. They play their home games at BB&T Center near Miami, FL.
In their first season, the Panthers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals but were defeated by Colorado Avalanche four games to three in 1996. Since then, they have had some success making it into playoffs seven times, with two appearances each time reaching Conference Finals and one appearance reaching Stanley Cup Final, again losing out this time to New Jersey Devils' 4-3 series loss in 2012. In addition, they have won five Division titles over that same period from 1995–1996 through 2011–2012 seasons, including winning the Southeast Division title for three consecutive years from 1999-2000 through 2001-2002 seasons.
Overall throughout its history, the Panthers organization has never won a championship but continues striving towards achieving the ultimate goal while developing young talent within the organization, such as Aleksander Barkov, who was selected second overall pick by them during the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and currently serves captain role for them helping lead the club back up standings after few down years recently finishing 2019/2020 regular season with 35 wins good enough for a fourth-place finish within Atlantic division earning playoff birth where despite being eliminated early on still managed show promise from now on under new coach Joel Quenneville who took helm prior 2019/20 campaign ushering new era full optimism amongst fans hoping to see return glory days sooner rather than later future certainly looks bright sunny skies ahead indeed!
Established
1993
City
Miami
League History
1993 – Present / National Hockey League
Team History
1993 – Present / Florida Panthers
Nickname
Panthers – The Florida Panthers are a professional National Hockey League (NHL) hockey team. The group was founded in 1993 and is based in Sunrise, Florida. While the franchise has had its ups and downs, they have become essential to South Florida’s sports landscape.
One thing that many people don’t know about this NHL franchise is where their nickname comes from. In 1992, Wayne Huizenga purchased an expansion team to be located in Miami-Dade County with plans to name it after a local animal species native to South Florida. After much research and debate, he settled on “Panthers” because panthers are unique animals found only within certain parts of the southern United States - particularly near his new home base for the hockey club!
Huizenga also wanted something representing strength and agility – two traits associated with these powerful cats – so he chose “Florida Panthers” as his official moniker for his newest venture into professional sports ownership. It wasn't until later that fans began referring affectionately to their beloved ice warriors as "the Cats" or "the Rat Pack." Still, either way, you look at it - there's no denying that having such strong ties between nature & sport makes this one truly special NHL franchise!
Championship
Stanley Cup 0
Arena
2013 – Present / BB&T Cente
2005 – 2012 / BankAtlantic Center
2002 – 2005 / Office Depot Center
1998 – 2002 / National Car Rental Center
1998 / Broward County Civic Arena
1993 – 1998 / Miami Arena
Owner
2009 – Present / Sunrise Sports & Entertainment
2001 – 2009 / Alan Cohen and Bernie Kosar
1993 – 2001 / Wayne Huizenga
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
1 / Roberto Luongo
37 / Wayne Huizenga
93 / Bill Torrey
99 / Wayne Gretzky
*Blue is this team’s history