The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metro area. They joined the NHL in the 1993–94 season and play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. They are the southernmost NHL team and share a state rivalry with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Their minor league affiliates are the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) and Savannah Ghost Pirates (ECHL).
The Panthers made their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1996 but lost to the Colorado Avalanche. Between 1996 and 2020, they made the playoffs only five times without winning a series. Since 2021–22, they’ve had more success. In 2022, they won a playoff series for the first time in 26 years. They reached the Finals in 2023 but lost to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Wins
The Florida Panthers won their first and only Stanley Cup on June 24, 2024, after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. This historic victory ended a 30-year wait for the team and its fans. The Panthers had previously reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996 and 2023 but fell short both times.
In the 2024 Finals, the Panthers were up 3-0 in the series, but the Oilers managed to tie it at 3-3, making Game 7 a crucial win to avoid becoming only the second team in history to lose a Stanley Cup Final after leading 3-0. Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe scored for Florida, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves, as per CBC News.
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Florida Panthers Conference Championship History
The Florida Panthers have reached the Stanley Cup Conference Finals 3 times, as per CBC News.
Their first appearance came in 1996 when they won the Eastern Conference by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in a hard-fought seven-game series. This achievement sent the Panthers to their first-ever Stanley Cup Final, where they ultimately lost to the Colorado Avalanche.
Their next Conference Championship came in 2023, when they swept the Carolina Hurricanes 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Final, marking their second trip to the Stanley Cup Final. However, they were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Finals.
The Panthers' third Conference Championship came in 2024. They again faced the Carolina Hurricanes and secured the Eastern Conference title in six games. This time, they went on to win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in a dramatic seven-game series.
Also Read: Florida Panthers Playoff History
FAQs on Florida Panthers
A. The Florida Panthers were founded in 1993.
A. Bill Zito is the general manager.
A. Paul Maurice is the head coach.
A. Aleksander Barkov is the team captain.
A. Their affiliates are the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) and the Savannah Ghost Pirates (ECHL).
