Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers are an NHL team based in Sunrise, Florida, competing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded as an expansion franchise in 1993, the Panthers play home games at Amerant Bank Arena and have grown from a South Florida upstart into one of hockey’s defining modern contenders. Florida’s identity has been shaped by a hard, forechecking style, elite two-way center Aleksander Barkov, veteran goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, and the coaching of Paul Maurice. After years of near misses and rebuilding cycles, the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, won their first championship in 2024, and repeated as Stanley Cup champions in 2025. The franchise’s recent run has also featured Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, and defenseman Aaron Ekblad among its central figures. Florida’s rivalry map includes the Tampa Bay Lightning in-state, the Boston Bruins after repeated playoff meetings, and the Edmonton Oilers after back-to-back Stanley Cup Final matchups.

In the 2025-26 NHL season, the Florida Panthers finished 40-38-4 with 84 points, placing seventh in the Atlantic Division and missing the playoffs after back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Florida closed the regular season with three straight wins, including an 8-1 victory over Detroit, but the late push was not enough to extend its postseason streak. Sam Reinhart led the team in goals, while Sam Bennett led in assists, keeping the Panthers competitive despite a step back from their championship standard.