History of Florida Panthers in Timeline
The Florida Panthers are an NHL ice hockey team located in Sunrise, Florida, representing the Miami metropolitan area. As a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, they are the southernmost team in the NHL. Initially playing at Miami Arena, they relocated to Amerant Bank Arena in 1998. The Panthers are one of two NHL teams in Florida, alongside the Tampa Bay Lightning.
1991: Huizenga Purchases Panthers Trademark
In 1991, Wayne Huizenga purchased the Panthers trademark from a group of Tampa investors.
December 10, 1992: NHL Franchise Awarded to Wayne Huizenga
On December 10, 1992, Wayne Huizenga 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, it was announced that the team would be named the Florida Panthers.
June 1993: Offices Established
In June 1993, offices for the Florida Panthers were established.
June 1993: Expansion and Entry Draft
In June 1993, the Florida Panthers participated in the expansion draft and the 1993 NHL entry draft in Quebec City.
1993: Inaugural Logo
In 1993, the Florida Panthers' first logo, depicting a leaping panther, was introduced and used until 2016.
1993: First Uniform Set
In 1993, the Panthers' first uniform set, featuring a red road and white home uniform with the leaping panther crest, was introduced.
August 1994: Bryan Murray hired
In August 1994, Bryan Murray was brought in from the Detroit Red Wings as general manager, replacing Clarke.
1994: First Season
In the 1993-94 season, the Panthers had one of the most successful first seasons of any expansion team in league history, finishing just two points below .500. In 1994, their first game was a 4–4 tie on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks, while their first win was a 2–0 shutout of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
1995: "Rat Trick" developed
During the 1995-96 season, a rat scurried across the team's locker room. Scott Mellanby killed the rat. That night, he scored two goals, which Vanbiesbrouck quipped was "a rat trick".
1995: Stanley C. Panther Introduced
Stanley C. Panther, the Panthers' official mascot named for the Stanley Cup, was introduced during the 1995-96 season. His name was coined by Darrel Ambrosini.
1996: Stanley Cup Final Appearance
In 1996, the Florida Panthers made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs, reaching the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Colorado Avalanche.
1996: Local broadcasting rights held by SportsChannel and Fox Sports Florida
In 1996, the local broadcasting rights for the Florida Panthers were acquired by SportsChannel and Fox Sports Florida.
1996: Stanley Cup Final Appearance and Executive of the Year Award
In the 1996 playoffs, the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final, ultimately losing to the Colorado Avalanche. Bryan Murray was honored as NHL Executive of the Year.
1996: 1996 Reunion game
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.
1996: Ten draft players part of Eastern Conference-winning team
Ten players drafted in June 1993 would eventually be a part of the 1996 Eastern Conference-winning team.
1997: Playoff loss
After a 12-game unbeaten streak to begin the season, the Florida Panthers lost in five games in the first round of the playoffs to the Wayne Gretzky-led New York Rangers in 1997.
1998: Alternate Navy Uniform Debuted
In 1998, the Panthers debuted an alternate navy uniform featuring the leaping panther holding broken hockey sticks.
1999: Acquisition of Pavel Bure
In 1999, the Florida Panthers acquired Pavel Bure (the "Russian Rocket") in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks.
2000: Playoff Appearance
In 2000, the Florida Panthers reached the playoffs again, losing in a first round sweep to the New Jersey Devils.
2001: Team struggles
The Florida Panthers slumped in 2000-01. Afterward, Huizenga sold the Panthers to an ownership group led by Alan Cohen.
2002: Draft Trade with Columbus Blue Jackets
In 2002, the Florida Panthers traded their first pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected Rick Nash.
2002: Worst record ever and Bure traded
The Florida Panthers had their worst record ever in the 2001-02 season. Pavel Bure was traded to the New York Rangers at the 2002 trade deadline.
2003: Jay Bouwmeester drafted
In 2003, the Florida Panthers selected Jay Bouwmeester third overall in the NHL entry draft.
2003: Navy Uniform Becomes Primary
Prior to the 2003 season, the navy uniform became the primary home uniform, with the red uniform becoming the alternate.
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.
June 22, 2007: Trade for 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 Jerseys Unveiled
On July 28, 2007, the Florida Panthers unveiled their new jerseys 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, featuring thicker stripes and added piping.
2007: End of First Uniform Set
In 2007, the Panthers' first uniform set was retired.
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 move for Vokoun would eventually pay off when Vokoun was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 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 Introduced
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 panther head crest, powder blue trim, and the "FLA" sunshine logo on the shoulders.
2009: Powder blue nod
The Second "Reverse Retro" uniform 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.
May 17, 2010: Dale Tallon Hired as General Manager
On May 17, 2010, Dale Tallon was hired as the Florida Panthers' new general manager, replacing Randy Sexton. Tallon then rebuilt the team through draft picks and player acquisitions.
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. The team also rebranded, releasing a new predominantly red home jersey with navy blue sleeves and eliminating the navy blue piping on the road jersey.
2011: Return to Red Uniforms
Before the 2011 season, the Panthers retired their primary navy uniforms and returned to wearing red uniforms at home, also eliminating the piping on the chest.
April 7, 2012: Panthers Win First 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, marking the end of their decade-long postseason drought.
October 2014: Viktor E. Ratt Introduced
Viktor E. Ratt, an anthropomorphic rat, was introduced in October 2014, honoring the club's 1996 Stanley Cup Final run when rats were tossed on the ice.
2016: New Primary Logo Unveiled
In 2016, the Panthers unveiled a new primary logo, a shield with the profile of a panther head below the word "Florida", redesigning the leaping panther logo to an alternate.
2016: Overhaul of Visual Design
Prior to the 2016-17 season, the Panthers overhauled their visual design, replacing yellow with flat gold as trim color, and adding an alternate logo featuring the flag of Florida below a crawling panther on the sleeves.
June 12, 2017: Bob Boughner Appointed Head Coach
On June 12, 2017, Bob Boughner was named the new head coach of the Florida Panthers, marking another change in leadership for the team.
2017: Adidas Takes Over
In 2017, the basic uniform design was retained when Adidas took over as the supplier.
2017: Vegas Golden Knights Break Playoff Win Record
In 2017-18, the Vegas Golden Knights broke the Panthers' record for most wins by an expansion team in their first postseason appearance.
2017: Vegas Golden Knights surpass inaugural season record
In the 2017-18 season, the Vegas Golden Knights surpassed the Florida Panthers' record for most points by an expansion team in its inaugural season.
April 7, 2019: Bob Boughner Fired
On April 7, 2019, the Florida Panthers fired Bob Boughner after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season.
August 10, 2020: Dale Tallon Parted Ways
On August 10, 2020, after nine years as general manager, the 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 as the Florida Panthers' general manager, succeeding Dale Tallon.
September 2020: Partnership with Charlotte Checkers
In September 2020, the Panthers partnered with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL as their top affiliate, aiming to develop top prospects and draft picks.
2020: "Reverse Retro" Alternate Uniform Released
For the 2020-21 season, the Panthers released a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, recoloring the team's original 1990s "leaping panther" uniform with a navy base and flat gold trim.
October 28, 2021: Quenneville Resigned
On October 28, 2021, Joel Quenneville resigned from his coaching duties as a result of the fallout from the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal.
2021: Playoff drought ends
Between 1997 and 2021, the Panthers only qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs six times, not winning a playoff series in that span.
2021: Postseason Success
Since the 2021–22 season, the Panthers have found considerable postseason success.
April 3, 2022: Panthers Clinch Playoff Berth
On April 3, 2022, the Florida Panthers clinched a playoff berth, defeating the Buffalo Sabres 5–3. This victory was also Florida's 48th of the season, breaking their previous record set during the 2015–16 season.
April 21, 2022: Panthers Crowned Atlantic Division Champions
On April 21, 2022, the Florida Panthers were crowned as Atlantic Division champions for the first time since the 2015–16 season after a 5–2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The victory was also Florida's 12th consecutive, dating back to a 7–4 win over the Montreal Canadiens on March 29.
June 22, 2022: Paul Maurice Hired as Head Coach
On June 22, 2022, Paul Maurice was hired to be the Florida Panthers' 18th head coach.
2022: ECHL Affiliate
In 2022, The Florida Everblades were the Panthers' ECHL affiliate.
2022: First playoff series win in two decades
In 2022, the Florida Panthers won their first playoff series in two decades.
2023: Stanley Cup Final appearance
From 2023 to 2025, the Florida Panthers appeared in the Stanley Cup Final for three straight seasons.
2023: Bally Sports Florida as Rightsholder
From its inaugural season through 2023-24, Bally Sports Florida (formerly Fox Sports Florida and SportsChannel Florida) held the regional television rights for Panthers games not exclusively broadcast by NHL national partners.
2023: ECHL Affiliate
In 2023, The Florida Everblades were the Panthers' ECHL affiliate.
2023: Conference Finals Win
In 2023, the Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals.
2023: Successful Season
In 2023, the Panthers had a successful season despite expectations of regression. Sam Reinhart performed well, and the team won the Atlantic Division crown.
June 2024: Affiliation 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: Agreement with E.W. Scripps Company
In July 2024, the Panthers announced a multi-year agreement with the E.W. Scripps Company and its Scripps Sports division, with WSFL-TV serving as the flagship station of the Panthers' television network due to Bally Sports's bankruptcy.
2024: Broadcast deal with Scripps Sports
In 2024, the Florida Panthers ended their broadcast agreement with Bally Sports Florida and entered into a new broadcast deal with Scripps Sports.
2024: First Stanley Cup win
In 2024, the Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
2024: Playoff Success
In 2024, the Panthers met the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs, winning the series in five games.
2024: Stanley Cup Champions
In 2024, the Panthers went 52–24–6, with Sam Reinhart scoring 57 goals. They won the Atlantic Division, defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers in the playoffs, and ultimately won their first Stanley Cup by defeating the Edmonton Oilers.
2025: Stanley Cup Repeat
From 2023 to 2025, the Florida Panthers appeared in the Stanley Cup Final for three straight seasons, repeating as champions in 2025.
2025: Repeat Stanley Cup Champions
In 2025, the Panthers placed third in the Atlantic Division. They won their second straight Stanley Cup by defeating the Edmonton Oilers.
2026: 2026 NHL Winter Classic Uniform
For the Panthers' appearance at the 2026 NHL Winter Classic, they wore red uniforms with cream letters, navy blue and gold stripes and a chain-stitched felt version of the "leaping panther" crest.
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