History of Florida Panthers in Timeline
The Florida Panthers are an NHL ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area, playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. They initially played at Miami Arena before moving to Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida in 1998. As the southernmost NHL team, the Panthers share a rivalry with the Tampa Bay Lightning as one of two Florida-based NHL franchises.
1991: Huizenga Purchases Panthers Trademark
In 1991, Wayne Huizenga purchased the Florida Panthers trademark from a group of Tampa investors, who initially sought to create an MLB team in the Tampa Bay area.
December 10, 1992: NHL Franchise Awarded to Wayne Huizenga
On December 10, 1992, Wayne Huizenga, owner of Blockbuster Video, was awarded an NHL franchise for Miami, the same day the Walt Disney Company earned the rights to start a team in Anaheim.
April 20, 1993: Team Name Announced
On April 20, 1993, at a press conference in Fort Lauderdale, the team name was announced as the Florida Panthers, with Bill Torrey as president and Bobby Clarke as general manager.
June 1993: Offices for the Team Established
In June 1993, offices for the new Florida Panthers team were established, despite the business operations team acknowledging a lack of hockey knowledge.
June 1993: Expansion and Entry Draft
In June 1993, the new franchise joined the NHL for the 1993-94 season, participating in the expansion draft and the 1993 NHL entry draft in Quebec City, which produced ten future players of the 1996 Eastern Conference-winning team.
1993: Inaugural Season
In the 1993-94 season, the Florida Panthers began playing in the NHL and set a record for the most points by an expansion team in its inaugural season.
August 1994: Bryan Murray Replaces Bobby Clarke as General Manager
In August 1994, Bobby Clarke left his position as general manager of the Florida Panthers and was replaced by Bryan Murray, who was brought in from the Detroit Red Wings.
1994: First season
In 1994, the Florida Panthers had their first season in the NHL with major stars like John Vanbiesbrouck, Rob Niedermayer, and Scott Mellanby.
1995: "Rat Trick" Emerges
During the 1995–96 season, a unique goal celebration known as the "rat trick" developed in Miami after Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the team's locker room and then scored two goals in the home opener.
1996: First Stanley Cup Playoff Appearance
In 1996, the Florida Panthers made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to the Colorado Avalanche.
1996: Local broadcasting rights with Bally Sports Florida
In 1996, the Florida Panthers' local broadcasting rights were held by Bally Sports Florida, formerly known as SportsChannel and Fox Sports Florida.
1996: Ten players of the 1996 Eastern Conference-winning team
In June 1993 the NHL entry draft produced ten players who would eventually be a part of the 1996 Eastern Conference-winning team.
1996: 1996 Playoff Run
In the 1996 playoffs, the Florida Panthers made a strong run, defeating the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche.
1996: Panthers' 1996 Reunion game
Star forwards Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss were both in full gear to help showcase the sweater changes during the first intermission of the Panthers' 1996 Reunion game at BankAtlantic Center.
1997: First round loss to the New York Rangers
After a strong start to the season, the Panthers lost in five games in the first round of the 1997 playoffs to the Wayne Gretzky-led New York Rangers.
1999: Acquisition of Pavel Bure
In 1999, the Florida Panthers acquired Pavel Bure, the "Russian Rocket", in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks.
2000: Playoff Appearance
In 2000, the Florida Panthers reached the playoffs again, but lost in a first-round sweep to the New Jersey Devils, who eventually won the Stanley Cup.
2001: Team Slump and Change of Ownership
In 2001, the Florida Panthers experienced a slump, and Wayne Huizenga sold the team to an ownership group led by Alan Cohen.
2002: Draft Pick Trade with Columbus Blue Jackets
In 2002, the Florida Panthers traded their first pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected Rick Nash, and in return, the Panthers received the right to trade first-round selections with the Blue Jackets in the 2003 NHL entry draft.
2002: Worst Record Ever and Bure Trade
In the 2001-02 season, the Florida Panthers had their worst record ever, and Pavel Bure was traded to the New York Rangers at the 2002 trade deadline.
2003: Jay Bouwmeester Drafted
In 2003, the Florida Panthers drafted Jay Bouwmeester third overall after making a deal with the Atlanta Thrashers to ensure he would be available for their selection.
2003: Host NHL All-Star weekend
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.
2003: Uniform Crests Switched
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.
June 23, 2006: Trade with Vancouver Canucks
On June 23, 2006, the Florida Panthers traded Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek, and a draft pick to the Vancouver Canucks for Todd Bertuzzi, Alex Auld, and Bryan Allen. This trade is considered by some as one of the worst trades in professional sports history.
June 22, 2007: Acquisition of Tomas Vokoun
On June 22, 2007, the Florida Panthers acquired Tomas Vokoun from the Nashville Predators in exchange for three draft picks.
July 28, 2007: New Jersey Unveiling
On July 28, 2007, the Florida Panthers unveiled their new jerseys to over 11,000 fans at the BankAtlantic Center during the first intermission of the Panthers' 1996 Reunion game.
2007: New Uniform Designs Revealed
In 2007, the Panthers revealed new uniform designs adopting the Reebok Edge template. The navy and white uniforms had a thicker stripe on each sleeve with added piping.
June 2008: Trade of Olli Jokinen
In June 2008, the Florida Panthers traded their captain Olli Jokinen to the Phoenix Coyotes for a second-round draft pick and defensemen Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton.
2008: Draft picks
The Panthers gave Nashville a first-round pick in 2008, a second-round pick in 2008 and a conditional second-round pick that could be used in 2007 or 2008.
November 2009: New Majority Owners
In November 2009, Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel became the new majority owners of the Florida Panthers.
November 23, 2009: Third Jersey Introduction
On November 23, 2009, the Florida Panthers introduced their third jersey, replacing red with powder blue.
2009: Navy Alternate Uniform Unveiled
In 2009, the Panthers unveiled a navy alternate uniform, featuring a roundel crest depicting a panther head surrounded by the team name, powder blue as trim color, and the alternate "FLA" sunshine logo on the shoulders.
May 17, 2010: Dale Tallon Hired as General Manager
On May 17, 2010, the Florida Panthers hired Dale Tallon as the team's new general manager to rebuild the team.
June 1, 2011: Kevin Dineen Named Head Coach and Team Rebrands
On June 1, 2011, Kevin Dineen was named the 11th head coach of the Panthers, and the team rebranded its image by releasing a new predominantly red home jersey with navy blue sleeves, replacing the navy blue jersey as the main home jersey.
2011: Red Uniforms Return as Primary Home Uniforms
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.
April 7, 2012: Panthers Win Southeast Division Title
On April 7, 2012, the Florida Panthers won their first-ever division title in franchise history with a 4–1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, ending their decade-long postseason drought.
December 8, 2015: Panthers Announce New Lease and Logo
On December 8, 2015, the Florida Panthers announced they signed a 13-year lease and an $86 million funding agreement with Broward County and would have a new logo and uniforms after the 2015–16 season.
2016: New Logo Unveiled
In 2016, the Panthers introduced a new primary logo, a shield with a panther head profile below the word "Florida," redesigning the previous "leaping panther" logo and relegating it to alternate status.
June 12, 2017: Bob Boughner Named Head Coach
On June 12, 2017, the Florida Panthers named Bob Boughner as their new head coach.
2017: Adidas Takes Over as Uniform Supplier
Following the 2016 overhaul, the Panthers' basic uniform design was retained when Adidas took over as the supplier prior to the 2017-18 season.
2017: Playoff Wins Record Broken
In 2017–18, the Vegas Golden Knights broke the Florida Panthers' record for most wins by an expansion team in their first postseason appearance, a record that was set in 1996 with 12 victories.
2017: Expansion Team Record Surpassed
In 2017–18, the Vegas Golden Knights surpassed the Florida Panthers' record for the most points by an expansion team in its inaugural season, a record that was set in 1993.
April 7, 2019: Bob Boughner Fired, Joel Quenneville Hired
On April 7, 2019, the Florida Panthers fired Bob Boughner after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season. The next day, Joel Quenneville was named the 16th head coach of the Panthers.
August 10, 2020: Dale Tallon and Panthers Part Ways
On August 10, 2020, after nine years as general manager, the Florida Panthers and Dale Tallon mutually agreed to part ways following the team's elimination in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.
September 2, 2020: Bill Zito Hired as General Manager
On September 2, 2020, Bill Zito was hired by the Florida Panthers management to succeed Dale Tallon as the team's general manager.
2020: Playoff drought
Between 1996 and 2020, the Panthers only qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs five times, not winning a playoff series in that span.
2020: "Reverse Retro" Alternate Uniform Released
In 2020, for the 2020-21 season, the Panthers released a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, which was a recoloring of the team's original 1990s uniform, with a navy base and flat gold replacing yellow trim.
October 28, 2021: Quenneville Resigns, Brunette Named Interim Coach
On October 28, 2021, Joel Quenneville resigned from his coaching duties with the Florida Panthers as a result of the fallout from the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal. The next day, Andrew Brunette was named interim head coach.
April 3, 2022: Panthers Clinch Playoff Berth
On April 3, 2022, the Florida Panthers became the first team during the 2021–22 season to clinch a playoff berth with a 5–3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
April 21, 2022: Panthers Crowned Atlantic Division Champions
On April 21, 2022, the Florida Panthers secured the Atlantic Division title for the first time since the 2015–16 season, following a 5–2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, marking their 12th consecutive win.
June 22, 2022: Paul Maurice Hired as Head Coach
On June 22, 2022, the Florida Panthers hired Paul Maurice to be the franchise's 18th head coach.
2022: First Playoff Series Win in Two Decades
In 2022, the Florida Panthers won their first playoff series in two decades, marking a significant achievement for the team.
2023: Stanley Cup Finals Appearance
In 2023, the Florida Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
June 2024: Affiliation Agreement with Savannah Ghost Pirates
In June 2024, the Panthers announced a multi-year affiliation agreement with the Savannah Ghost Pirates of the ECHL.
July 2024: New Television Agreement with E.W. Scripps Company
In July 2024, the Panthers announced a multi-year deal with the E.W. Scripps Company's Scripps Sports division, amid Bally Sports's bankruptcy. WSFL-TV will serve as the flagship station for the Panthers' television network, with additional stations airing games in other markets. The Panthers will also launch an in-market streaming service titled Panthers+ to carry the games.
2024: New broadcast deal with Scripps Sports
In 2024, the Florida Panthers made a new broadcast deal with Scripps Sports, ending their previous agreement with Bally Sports Florida.
2024: Stanley Cup Victory and Playoff Run
In 2024, the Panthers finished the regular season with a 52-24-6 record and 110 points, with Sam Reinhart scoring 57 goals. They won the Atlantic Division title and embarked on a successful playoff run, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. They then defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
March 6, 2025: Data Update
On March 6, 2025, the provided data was updated.
Mentioned in this timeline
Adidas AG is a German multinational corporation the largest sportswear...
An avalanche is a fast-moving flow of snow down a...
Miami is a major coastal city located in South Florida...
Florida a southeastern U S state is a peninsula between...
Pittsburgh is a city located in southwestern Pennsylvania at the...
A car or automobile is a wheeled motor vehicle designed...
Trending
19 minutes ago Angel Carter recalls tense final conversation with her twin, Aaron Carter, before death.
19 minutes ago Youngkin Declares Virginia Screen-Free Week: Encouraging Families to Unplug and Reconnect.
19 minutes ago Kathryn Hahn Reunion Hopes & 'The Office' Missed Roles Revealed: A Summary
19 minutes ago Mariah May's AEW Future Uncertain Amidst Speculation of a WWE Move
20 minutes ago Jeff Goldblum, Wife, and Sons Spotted at Italian Soccer Match with Other Celebrities.
1 hour ago Patriots trade down scenarios: Saints potential offer, Scheim's suggestion and unrealistic proposal
Popular
Doug Ford is a Canadian politician and businessman currently serving...
Justin Trudeau served as the rd Prime Minister of Canada...
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...
Peter Navarro is an American economist and author known for...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Bernard Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving...