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The London Panthers were a professional ice hockey team based in London, Ontario , Canada that existed from 1926 until 1936. The team played in the Canadian Professional Hockey League from 1926, joining the International Hockey League in 1929 . In 1930, the team was renamed the London Tecumsehs. The team played at the London Arena .

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134-645: The team was disbanded after the International League announced it would merge with the Can-Am League on October 4, 1936. Several of the players also played in the National Hockey League : This Ontario ice hockey team-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . National Hockey League The National Hockey League ( NHL ); French : Ligue nationale de hockey [liɡ nɑsjɔnal də ɔkɛ] ( LNH ),

268-512: A pulled goaltender ). Since 2013, the league has used hybrid icing , where a linesman stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) crosses the imaginary line that connects the two face-off dots in their defensive zone before an attacking player is able to. This was done to counter a trend of player injury in races to the puck. Fighting in the NHL leads to major penalties while IIHF rules, and most amateur rules, call for

402-455: A 25–8–2 run in their last 35 games, ending up one point short of a playoff berth. Their 44–30–8 record earned 96 regular season points, tying the league record of the 2014–15 Boston Bruins and the 2018–19 Montreal Canadiens for the team with the most regular season points to miss the postseason. On April 7, 2019, the Panthers fired Boughner after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for

536-456: A bruised ankle, Team USA's Kendall Coyne Schofield competed in the Fastest Skater competition in his place, becoming the first woman to officially compete in the NHL's All-Star festivities. The attention led the NHL to include a 3-on-3 women's game before the 2020 All-Star Game . Rheaume returned to perform as a goaltender for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game 's Breakaway Challenge. From

670-400: A handful of games for Florida before getting injured. He would later be traded to Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline for Shawn Matthias . Additionally, Auld ended up a poor replacement for Luongo, and was ultimately let go after one season with the team. On June 22, 2007, the Panthers were involved in yet another draft-day deal involving a goaltender. The team acquired Tomas Vokoun from

804-772: A massive boycott of Molson Brewery products by Canadian fans resulted in the Montreal Canadiens, which was owned by Molson, reversing its position, along with the Vancouver Canucks. In a second vote, the plan was approved. Wayne Gretzky played one season in the WHA for the Indianapolis Racers (eight games) and the Edmonton Oilers (72 games) before the Oilers joined the NHL for the 1979–80 season . Gretzky went on to lead

938-440: A memorandum of understanding on the new deal, allowing teams to begin their training camps the next day, with a shortened 48-game season schedule that began on January 19. Player safety has become a major issue in the NHL, with concussions resulting from a hard hit to the head being the primary concern. Recent studies have shown how the consequences of concussions can last beyond player retirement. This has significant effects on

1072-484: A new home jersey, predominantly red with navy blue sleeves, and eliminating the navy blue piping on the road jersey; this new jersey replaced the navy blue one as the main home jersey. The 2011 off-season saw the acquisitions of Scottie Upshall , Tomas Fleischmann , Sean Bergenheim , Marcel Goc , Matt Bradley , Ed Jovanovski , Jose Theodore , Kris Versteeg , Tomas Kopecky and Brian Campbell . After several more trades and over 300-man-games lost to injury throughout

1206-495: A new logo and uniforms after the 2015–16 season. Their original logo had remained almost unchanged since their first season in 1993. In the 2015–16 season , the team set a franchise record with a 12-game win streak. They also set a franchise record for most wins in a regular season with 47 wins and won their division for the second time in their existence. However, the Panthers lost to the New York Islanders in six games in

1340-416: A panther head surrounded by the team name. Powder blue replaced red as trim color and the alternate "FLA" sunshine logo was placed on the shoulders. This uniform was used for three seasons. 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. The Panthers overhauled their visual design prior to

1474-592: A player safety lawsuit. From 1952 to 1955, Marguerite Norris served as president of the Detroit Red Wings , being the first female NHL executive and the first woman to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup. In 1992, Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play a game in any of the major professional North American sports leagues, as a goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a preseason game against

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1608-513: A powder blue base (a nod to the 2009–12 navy alternates) and the alternate palm tree, sun and stick logo in front. The Panthers have two mascots : Stanley C. Panther and Viktor E. Ratt . Stanley C. Panther is a large anthropomorphic Florida panther and is the Panther's official mascot. He is named for the Stanley Cup . Further, Stanley C. Panther was introduced during the 1995–96 season. He

1742-537: A preseason consisting of six to eight exhibition games . Split squad games, in which parts of a team's regular season roster play separate games on the same day, are occasionally played during the preseason. During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. Since 2021, in the regular season, all teams play 82 games: 41 games each of home and road, playing 26 games in their own geographic division—four against five of their seven other divisional opponents, plus three against two others; 24 games against

1876-698: A rapid expansion in the 1920s, adding the Montreal Maroons and the Boston Bruins in 1924, the latter being the first American team to join the league. The New York Americans began play in 1925 after purchasing the assets of the Hamilton Tigers, and they were joined by the Pittsburgh Pirates . The New York Rangers were added in 1926, and the Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars (later

2010-651: A record no team has matched. In 1948, Asian Canadian Larry Kwong became the first Asian player in the NHL by playing for the New York Rangers. In 1958, Willie O'Ree became the first black player in the league's history when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins. By the mid-1960s, the desire for a network television contract in the United States, coupled with concerns that the Western Hockey League

2144-455: A result of the fallout from the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal on October 28, 2021. The next day, the Panthers named former NHL player Andrew Brunette their interim head coach. On April 3, 2022, the Panthers became the first team during the 2021–22 season to clinch a playoff berth, when they defeated the Buffalo Sabres at home, 5–3. This victory was also Florida's 48th of

2278-408: A second positive test, and a lifetime suspension for a third positive test. At the end of regulation time, the team with the most goals wins the game. If a game is tied after regulation time, overtime ensues. During the regular season, overtime is a five-minute, three-on-three sudden-death period, in which whoever scores a goal first wins the game. If the game is still tied at the end of overtime,

2412-539: A team record for the lowest attendance at a home opener, with only 11,419 spectators in attendance. The team's next game against the Ottawa Senators marked the team's lowest attendance ever, with only 7,311 in attendance. Despite finishing with a record of 38–29–15, the Panthers missed the 2015 playoffs by seven points. On December 8, 2015, the Panthers announced that they signed a 13-year lease, and an $ 86 million funding agreement with Broward County and would have

2546-524: A vicious hit by Eddie Shore . The second was held in 1937, in support of Howie Morenz 's family when he died of a coronary embolism after breaking his leg during a game. The Great Depression and the onset of World War II took a toll on the league. The Pirates became the Philadelphia Quakers in 1930, then folded a year later. The Senators likewise became the St. Louis Eagles in 1934, also lasting only

2680-603: A year. The Maroons did not survive, as they suspended operations in 1938. The Americans were suspended in 1942 due to a lack of available players, and they were never reactivated. For the 1942–43 season , the NHL was reduced to six teams: the Boston Bruins, the Chicago Black Hawks, the Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Rangers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, a line-up, often referred to as

2814-471: A yellow sun behind a hockey stick and a palm tree. The "leaping panther" logo was redesigned and relegated to an alternate logo when the Panthers unveiled a new logo in the 2016–17 season. The current primary logo is a shield with the profile of a panther head below the word "Florida"; the same logo with the word "Panthers" above is also used interchangeably. The Panthers' first uniform set was used from 1993 to 2007. The red road and white home uniforms featured

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2948-569: Is a professional ice hockey league in North America consisting of 32 teams – 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The Stanley Cup , the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered to be

3082-399: Is awarded one point. Shootout goals and saves are not tracked in hockey statistics; shootout statistics are tracked separately. There are no shootouts during the playoffs . Instead, multiple sudden-death, 20-minute five-on-five periods are played until one team scores. Two games have reached six overtime periods, but none have gone beyond six. During playoff overtime periods, the only break

3216-615: Is to clean the loose ice at the first stoppage after the period is halfway finished. The National Hockey League season is divided into a preseason (September and early October), a regular season (from early October through early to mid-April) and a postseason (the Stanley Cup playoffs ). Teams usually hold a summer showcase for prospects in July and participate in prospect tournaments, full games that do not feature any veterans, in September. Full training camps begin in mid-to-late September, including

3350-461: Is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. Following the conclusion of the regular season, 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs , a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion. Since the league's founding in 1917, the Montreal Canadiens have won the most combined NHL titles with 25, winning three NHL championship series before

3484-474: The 1979 NHL expansion . Between 1991 and 2000, the NHL further expanded to 30 teams. It added its 31st and 32nd teams in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Salt Lake City was awarded an expansion franchise in 2024 as it acquired the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes , which were deactivated, thus maintaining the total number of teams at 32. The NHL is the fifth-highest grossing professional sport league in

3618-537: The 1996 Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Colorado Avalanche . Between 1996 and 2020, the Panthers only qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs five times, not winning a playoff series in that span. However, since the 2020–21 season , the Panthers have found postseason success. They won their first playoff series in two decades in 2022 , and reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2023 where they fell to

3752-648: The 2000–01 season , when the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets joined the league as expansion teams, until 2017. That expansion capped a period in the 1990s of rapid expansion and relocation, when the NHL added nine teams to grow from 21 to 30 teams, and relocated four teams mostly from smaller, northern cities to larger, more southern metropolitan areas ( Minneapolis to Dallas , Quebec City to Denver , Winnipeg to Phoenix , and Hartford to Raleigh ). The league has not contracted any teams since

3886-541: The 2017 NHL expansion draft , the Panthers left Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith unprotected, despite the fact they both had 30-goal seasons on their resumes. In return for the unprotected players, the Vegas Golden Knights sent the Panthers a 2018 fourth-round draft pick, leaving the Panthers with the extra salary cap space. The Panthers instead chose to protect Nick Bjugstad , Mark Pysyk , and Alex Petrovic who all were eventually traded or no longer on

4020-709: The 2017–18 season to the 2019–20 season , the NHL consisted of 31 teams—24 based in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL divided the 31 teams into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference . Each conference was split into two divisions : the Eastern Conference contained 16 teams (eight per division), while the Western Conference had 15 teams (seven in the Central and eight in

4154-675: The Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference , and initially played their home games at Miami Arena before moving to the Amerant Bank Arena in 1998. Located in Sunrise, Florida , the franchise is the southernmost team in the NHL. The team's local broadcasting rights were held by Bally Sports Florida (formerly SportsChannel and Fox Sports Florida) from 1996 to 2024 when they made a new broadcast deal with Scripps Sports . The Panthers are primarily affiliated with two minor league teams:

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4288-787: The Boston Pride of the National Women's Hockey League and the Les Canadiennes of the Canadian Women's Hockey League , as part of the 2016 NHL Winter Classic weekend festivities. In 2019, the NHL invited four women from the US and Canadian Olympic teams to demonstrate the events in All-Star skills competition before the All-Star Game . Due to Nathan MacKinnon choosing not to participate following

4422-647: The Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Savannah Ghost Pirates of the ECHL . The Panthers began playing in the 1993–94 season , when they set the record for the most points by an expansion team in its inaugural season, which was later surpassed by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017–18 . In 1996, the team made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs , reaching

4556-640: The Cleveland Barons were merged into the Minnesota North Stars in 1978. The league expanded for the first time in 17 years to 31 teams with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, then to 32 with the addition of the Seattle Kraken in 2021. In April 2024, a new expansion team in Utah was created, after Alex Meruelo sold the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes to Ryan Smith , owner of

4690-586: The Columbus Blue Jackets , who selected winger 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 , a right which was not exercised when the Panthers received the first overall selection in 2003 as well. The Atlanta Thrashers , after picking goaltender Kari Lehtonen second overall, announced that the Panthers had given them two draft picks to guarantee that Bouwmeester would still be available for Florida's selection. Bouwmeester

4824-406: The Edmonton Oilers in seven games to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Florida Panthers have had just two primary logos over the course of their history. Their first logo, used from 1993 to 2016, depicted a leaping panther. Other logos from the era included an alternate version of the "leaping panther" logo, this time holding a pair of broken hockey sticks, and a logo depicting

4958-527: The Kansas City Scouts were added, bringing the league up to 18 teams. The NHL fought the WHA for players, losing 67 to the new league in its first season of 1972–73 , including the Chicago Black Hawks' Bobby Hull , who signed a 10-year, $ 2.5 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets , then the largest in hockey history. The league attempted to block the defections in court, but a counter-suit by

5092-659: The Mighty Ducks . At the time, Huizenga owned both the newly founded Florida Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB) and a share of the National Football League (NFL)'s Miami Dolphins . The entry fee was $ 50 million. Huizenga announced the team would play at the Miami Arena , sharing the building with the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Miami Heat , until a new arena was built. Offices for

5226-609: The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim . The Panthers' and Ducks' rosters were filled in both the expansion draft and the 1993 NHL entry draft in June 1993, hosted by Quebec City ; that draft produced ten players who would eventually be a part of the 1996 Eastern Conference-winning team. The Panthers' first major stars were former New York Rangers goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck , rookie Rob Niedermayer and forward Scott Mellanby , who scored 30 goals in Florida's inaugural season. Their first game

5360-620: The Nashville Predators in exchange for three draft picks – 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. The move would eventually pay off when Vokoun was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. On July 28, 2007, Florida unveiled their new jerseys to over 11,000 fans at the BankAtlantic Center during the first intermission of

5494-406: The St. Louis Blues , stopping seven of nine shots. In 2016, Dawn Braid was hired as the Arizona Coyotes ' skating coach, making her the first female full-time coach in the NHL. The first female referees in the NHL were hired in a test-run during the league's preseason prospect tournaments in September 2019. In 2016, the NHL hosted the 2016 Outdoor Women's Classic , an exhibition game between

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5628-605: The Utah Jazz . Meruelo was granted until 2029 to secure an arena in Arizona in order to re-activate the team, bringing the total number of franchises in the NHL up to 33; however, these efforts were abandoned two months later, leaving the NHL at 32 franchises once again. According to Forbes , in 2023, the top five most valuable teams were four of the " Original Six " teams and the Los Angeles Kings: The remaining members of

5762-482: The Vegas Golden Knights in five games. The following year, the Panthers returned to the Stanley Cup Finals , winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history by defeating the Edmonton Oilers in seven games. 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 rights to start a team in Anaheim that would become

5896-518: The lockout -shortened 2012–13 season , the Panthers had an abysmal season. Unable to regain their form from last season, the Panthers suffered key injuries and fell back down into the basement with the worst record in the League. In the 2013–14 season , the Panthers failed to gain any momentum and finished 29th out of 30 teams. The team then fired head coach Kevin Dineen and replaced him with Peter Horachek . At

6030-560: The " Original Six ", that would remain constant for the next 25 years. In 1947, the league reached an agreement with the Stanley Cup trustees to take full control of the trophy, allowing it to reject challenges from other leagues that wished to play for the Cup. In 1945, Maurice "Rocket" Richard became the first player to score 50 goals , doing so in a 50-game season . Richard later led the Canadiens to five consecutive titles between 1956 and 1960,

6164-435: The 2011 trade deadline or released during the 2011 off-season, save for Gudbranson, Bjugstad and Howden. At the end of the 2010–11 season , just Stephen Weiss and David Booth remained from the pre-lockout era Panthers roster. On June 1, 2011, Kevin Dineen , head coach of the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Portland Pirates , was named to be the 11th head coach of the Panthers. The team also rebranded their image, releasing

6298-517: The 2015–16 season, tying the franchise record. With the win, the Panthers improved to a stellar 56–15–6 record, tallying 118 points, and overcoming the Colorado Avalanche in the quest for the Presidents' Trophy . After an Avalanche defeat, and a Panthers 4–0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on April 28, the Panthers clinched the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history. They would end

6432-434: The 2016–17 season, replacing yellow with flat gold as trim color. Red uniforms featured the shield logo with the team name, while the white uniforms used the variation with the state name. An alternate logo featuring the flag of Florida below a crawling panther is added on the sleeves. Both sets feature thick contrasting stripes on the chest and sleeves. The basic design was retained once Adidas took over as supplier prior to

6566-408: The 2017–18 season. For the 2020–21 season, the Panthers released a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, essentially a recoloring of the team's original uniform. In this case, the Panthers wore their original 1990s "leaping panther" uniform, but with a navy base and flat gold replacing yellow as a trim color. A second "Reverse Retro" uniform was unveiled, again using the same 1990s-era template but with

6700-579: The Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, and the Winnipeg Jets were revived. On July 21, 2015, the NHL confirmed that it had received applications from prospective ownership groups in Quebec City and Las Vegas for possible expansion teams, and on June 22, 2016, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the addition of a 31st franchise, based in Las Vegas and later named the Vegas Golden Knights , into

6834-701: The Canadiens the league champion after they defeated the Toronto St. Patricks (formerly the Arenas) in the semi-final. Montreal was then defeated by the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) in 1925 . It was the last time a non-NHL team won the trophy, as the Stanley Cup became the de facto NHL championship in 1926, after the WCHL ceased operation. The National Hockey League embarked on

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6968-542: The Carolina Hurricanes. As such, they were pitted against division and statewide rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the first round of the playoffs . They were defeated in six games by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, for yet another first round exit. In the 2021–22 season , Quenneville led the Panthers to a 7–0–0 record through the team's first seven games, but he would resign from his coaching duties as

7102-456: The Flyers as a free agent. The Panthers moved into the brand new National Car Rental Center (now known as Amerant Bank Arena ) in 1998. In 1998–99 , they acquired Pavel Bure (the "Russian Rocket"), in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks . They then reached the playoffs again in 1999–2000 , losing in a first round sweep to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils . The team slumped in 2000–01 . Afterward, Huizenga sold

7236-442: The Maple Leafs in five games. The Panthers played their longest game in franchise history on May 18, against the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals, which resulted in a 3–2 Panthers victory with Matthew Tkachuk scoring the game-winning goal with 12.7 seconds left in quadruple overtime. The Panthers would then sweep the Hurricanes in four games which included a goal by Tkachuk with 4.3 seconds left in game 4. This would be

7370-417: The NHL adopted the existing NHA set of rules. The NHL's rules are the basis for rules governing most professional and major junior ice hockey leagues in North America. The NHL hockey rink is 200 by 85 feet (60.96 m × 25.91 m), approximately the same length but much narrower than IIHF standards. A trapezoidal area appears behind each goal net. The goaltender can play the puck only within

7504-447: The NHL for the 2017–18 season . On December 4, 2018, the league announced a 32nd franchise in Seattle , later named the Seattle Kraken , which joined in the 2021–22 season . On April 18, 2024, the Arizona Coyotes suspended operations and sold their hockey assets, including players and other personnel, to a new team in Salt Lake City , Utah . Two months after Utah's foundation, the Coyotes ceased their efforts to re-activate within

7638-476: The NHL had four teams, all in Canada, thus the adjective "National" in the league's name. The league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the Boston Bruins joined, and has since consisted of both American and Canadian teams. From 1942 to 1967, the NHL had only six teams, collectively nicknamed the " Original Six ". The league added six new teams to double its size as a result of the 1967 NHL expansion , then increased to 18 teams by 1974, and to 21 teams due to

7772-474: The National Hockey League. In this context, each team is a member of the league, and each member appoints a Governor (usually the owner of the club), and two alternates to the Board. The current chairman of the Board is Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs . The Board of Governors exists to establish the policies of the league and to uphold its constitution. Some of the responsibilities of the Board of Governors include: The Board of Governors meets twice per year, in

7906-415: The Oilers to win four Stanley Cup championships in 1984 , 1985 , 1987 and 1988 , and set single-season records for goals (92 in 1981–82 ), assists (163 in 1985–86 ) and points (215 in 1985–86), as well as career records for goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857). In 1988, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in a deal that dramatically improved the league's popularity in the United States. By

8040-420: The Original Six, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings , respectively ranked sixth at US$ 1.87 billion and hypothetically 12th at US$ 1.3 billion. Compared with 2022, the Maple Leafs surpassed the Rangers as the most valuable NHL team, and Los Angeles overtook both Chicago and Boston, making its way into the top five. Notes: The Board of Governors is the ruling and governing body of

8174-406: The Pacific). The league temporarily realigned for the 2020–21 season but returned to the previous alignment the following year. With the addition of the Seattle Kraken in 2021–22 to the Pacific Division and the Arizona Coyotes' move from the Pacific to the Central, all four divisions now have eight teams each and both conferences have 16 teams. The number of NHL teams held constant at 30 teams from

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8308-505: The Panthers announced an agreement with the E.W. Scripps Company and its Scripps Sports division, under a multi-year deal beginning in the 2024–25 season . Scripps' Miami-Fort Lauderdale station WSFL-TV 39 will serve as flagship station of the Panthers' television network, while WHDT-TV 9 will air games in the Stuart-West Palm Beach market. WFTX-TV 36.3 will air games in the Fort Myers-Naples market. The Panthers will launch an in-market streaming service titled Panthers+ to carry

8442-403: The Panthers chose as the number one overall pick at the 1994 NHL entry draft . Doug MacLean , who had been the team's player development director, was promoted to coach. The team then acquired Ray Sheppard from the San Jose Sharks at the NHL trade deadline and looked toward the playoffs for the first time. A very unusual goal celebration developed in Miami during the 1995–96 season . On

8576-412: The Panthers missed the playoffs for an eighth-straight season, the then-longest streak in the NHL. In November 2009, Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel became the new majority owners. On November 23, 2009, the Panthers made their third jersey, ridding red from the alternate jersey, replacing it with powder blue. The Panthers missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive time in the 2009–10 season , making them

8710-408: The Panthers never advancing past the first round, leaving the Panthers without a playoff series win since 1996 . Panthers management hired Bill Zito to succeed Tallon as the team's general manager on September 2, 2020. During the shortened 2020–21 season , the Panthers compiled 79 points in 56 games played, finishing the season in second place in the temporary Central Division , one point behind

8844-473: The Panthers to an ownership group led by Alan Cohen. The following season, 2001–02 , the Panthers had their worst record ever. Bure struggled despite being reunited with his brother Valeri , and was traded to the Rangers at the 2002 trade deadline. The Panthers then began eyeing defenseman Jay Bouwmeester , who was widely tipped to be picked first overall pick at the 2002 NHL entry draft . However, then-general manager Rick Dudley sent Florida's first pick to

8978-436: The Panthers were again involved in a blockbuster trade with Vancouver, sending Roberto Luongo , Lukas Krajicek and a sixth-round draft pick ( Sergei Shirokov ) in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi , Alex Auld and Bryan Allen . This trade has been regarded by some as one of the worst trades in professional sports history – Luongo, who was at the prime of his career, was one of the League's top goaltenders, while Bertuzzi played just

9112-475: The Panthers' 1996 Reunion game. Star forwards Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss were both in full gear to help showcase the sweater changes. In June 2008, the Panthers traded their captain Olli Jokinen to the Phoenix Coyotes for a second-round draft pick and defensemen Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton . The Panthers finished the 2008–09 season with a strong 41–30–11 record and 93 points, their second-highest finish in franchise history. Despite this, however,

9246-450: The Red Wings) were added after the league purchased the assets of the defunct WCHL. A group purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927 and immediately renamed them the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1926, Native American Taffy Abel became the first non-white player in the NHL and broke the league's colour barrier by playing for the New York Rangers. In 1934, the first NHL All-Star Game was held, to benefit Ace Bailey , whose career ended on

9380-417: The United States, so the league responded by adding the Vancouver Canucks in 1970 , along with the Buffalo Sabres , both located on the Canada–United States border . Two years later, the emergence of the newly founded World Hockey Association (WHA) led the league to add the New York Islanders and the Atlanta Flames to keep the rival league out of those markets. In 1974, the Washington Capitals and

9514-491: The WHA led to a Philadelphia judge ruling the NHL's reserve clause to be illegal, thus eliminating the elder league's monopoly over the players. Seven years of battling for players and markets financially damaged both leagues, leading to a merger agreement in 1979 that saw the WHA cease operations while the NHL absorbed the Winnipeg Jets, the Edmonton Oilers , the Hartford Whalers , and the Quebec Nordiques . The owners initially rejected this merger agreement by one vote, but

9648-708: The Wanderers to cease operations, and the NHL continued on as a three-team league until the Bulldogs returned in 1919. The NHL replaced the NHA as one of the leagues that competed for the Stanley Cup, an interleague competition at the time. Toronto won the first NHL title, and then defeated the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) for the 1918 Stanley Cup . The Canadiens won

9782-529: The club averaged 94% capacity at the 14,500-seat Miami Arena, and sold 8,500 season tickets in 100 days. In August 1994, general manager Clarke left to work for the Philadelphia Flyers ; Bryan Murray was brought in from the Detroit Red Wings as his replacement. After another close brush with the playoffs, finishing the lockout -shortened 1994–95 season again in ninth, Neilson was fired following an argument with Murray regarding Ed Jovanovski , whom

9916-401: The eight remaining non-divisional intra-conference opponents—three games against every team in the other division of its conference; and 32 against every team in the other conference twice—home and road. The league's regular season standings are based on a point system. Two points are awarded for a win, one point for losing in overtime or a shootout, and zero points for a loss in regulation. At

10050-417: The ejection of fighting players. Usually, a penalized team cannot replace a player that is penalized on the ice and is thus short-handed for the duration of the penalty, but if the penalties are coincidental, for example when two players fight, both teams remain at full strength. Also, unlike minor penalties, major penalties must be served to their full completion, regardless of number of goals scored during

10184-446: The end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points in each division is crowned the division champion, and the league's overall leader is awarded the Presidents' Trophy . Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area . The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of

10318-480: The first round of the 2024 playoffs , the Panthers played against their rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and won the series in five games. In the next round, the Panthers played the Boston Bruins again, this time winning the series in six games. In the conference finals, they won the six-game series against the New York Rangers, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight year, where they defeated

10452-624: The first round of the playoffs ; this would be the first playoff series win for the Islanders since the 1992–93 season. Head coach Gerard Gallant was nominated as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award , which recognizes the NHL Coach of the Year. The 2016–17 season began with the promotion of general manager Dale Tallon to an executive position within the organization and assistant general manager Tom Rowe

10586-449: The first team in NHL history to do so in one city. Panthers management hired Dale Tallon as the team's new general manager on May 17, 2010. Tallon rebuilt the team with 2010 draft picks Erik Gudbranson , Nick Bjugstad and Quinton Howden , as well as the acquisition of players, including Steve Bernier , Michael Grabner , Marty Reasoner , Ryan Carter and Sergei Samsonov . All of the above-mentioned players, however, were traded at

10720-458: The first time since 1988, when Wayne Gretzky was traded for Jimmy Carson . This trade was also the first sign-and-trade in NHL history as Tkachuk was a restricted free agent at the time. The hiring of head coach Maurice and the Tkachuk trade proved to be successful in the following seasons. For the 2022–23 season , the Panthers looked to carry on their positive regular season streak. However,

10854-524: The first time the Panthers had ever swept a playoff series. They advanced to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals , where they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. For the 2023–24 season , the Panthers were expected to regress in results, as it was believed their aggressive forechecking and stout defense would be figured out by rival teams. However, the Panthers once again enjoyed a successful season. They went 52–24–6 for 110 points, star center Sam Reinhart netted 57 goals (behind Auston Matthews for

10988-482: The five-year window granted to do so, bringing the NHL back to 32 franchises. There have been four league-wide work stoppages in NHL history, all occurring after 1992 . The first was an April 1992 strike by the National Hockey League Players' Association , which lasted for ten days but was settled quickly with all affected games rescheduled. A lockout at the start of the 1994–95 season forced

11122-637: The four teams voted instead to suspend the NHA, and, on November 26, 1917, formed the National Hockey League. Frank Calder was chosen as the NHL's first president, serving until his death in 1943. The Bulldogs were unable to play in the NHL, and the remaining owners founded the Toronto Arenas to compete with the Canadiens, Wanderers and Senators. The first games were played on December 19, 1917. The Montreal Arena burned down in January 1918, causing

11256-465: The franchise's 18th head coach. Later that same off-season, the Panthers traded away Hart Memorial Trophy nominee forward Jonathan Huberdeau , defenseman MacKenzie Weegar , a first-round pick, and prospect Cole Schwindt to the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Matthew Tkachuk and a mid-round draft pick. The Tkachuk–Hubderdeau trade saw two 100-point NHL scorers traded for each other for

11390-438: The game enters a shootout . Three players for each team in turn take a penalty shot . The team with the most goals during the three-round shootout wins the game. If the game is still tied after the three shootout rounds, the shootout continues but becomes sudden-death. Whichever team ultimately wins the shootout is awarded a goal in the game score and thus awarded two points in the standings. The losing team in overtime or shootout

11524-550: The game-winning goal) to reach the Stanley Cup Finals against the Colorado Avalanche , another team making its first Finals appearance. The Avalanche, however, swept the Panthers in four games. Despite losing in the Finals, the Panthers set a record for most wins by an expansion team in their first postseason appearance with 12 victories (this record would later be broken by the Vegas Golden Knights during their inaugural season in 2017–18). For his team's surprising success, Bryan Murray

11658-431: The goal frames by 4 inches (10 cm) on each side and reduced the size of the goalies' leg pads. The league has regularly modified its rules to counter perceived imperfections in the game. The penalty shot was adopted from the Pacific Coast Hockey Association to ensure players were not being blocked from opportunities to score. For the 2005–06 season, the league changed some of the rules regarding being offside. First,

11792-461: The league again locked out the players . The owners proposed reducing the players' share of hockey-related revenues from 57 percent to 47 percent. All games were cancelled up to January 14, 2013, along with the 2013 NHL Winter Classic and the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend . On January 6, a tentative agreement was reached on a 10-year deal. On January 12, the league and the Players' Association signed

11926-452: The league lead), and overtook the Boston Bruins in the last regular season game for the Atlantic Division crown, their third in franchise history. Barkov became the franchise's all-time points leader in a 5–2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on March 20. The Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5–2 at home, while the Bruins were ousted by the Ottawa Senators , 3–1, to win the division. In

12060-451: The league mandated hybrid no-touch icing for the 2013–14 NHL season . On November 25, 2013, ten former NHL players (Gary Leeman, Rick Vaive, Brad Aitken, Darren Banks, Curt Bennett, Richie Dunn, Warren Holmes, Bob Manno, Blair Stewart, and Morris Titanic) sued the league for negligence in protecting players from concussions. The suit came three months after the National Football League agreed to pay former players US$ 765 million due to

12194-432: The league removed the "offside pass" or "two-line pass" rule, which required a stoppage in play if a pass originating from inside a team's defending zone was completed on the offensive side of the centre line, unless the puck crossed the line before the player. Furthermore, the league reinstated the "tag-up offside" which allows an attacking player a chance to get back onside by returning to the neutral zone. The changes to

12328-515: The league title in 1919, but the series in the Stanley Cup Finals against the PCHA's Seattle Metropolitans was abandoned due to the Spanish Flu epidemic. In 1924, Montreal won their first Stanley Cup as a member of the NHL. The Hamilton Tigers won the regular season title in 1924–25 , but refused to play in the championship series unless they were given a C$ 200 bonus. The league refused and declared

12462-407: The league to reduce the schedule from 84 games to 48, with the teams playing only intra-conference games during the reduced season. The resulting collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was set for renegotiation in 1998, and extended to September 15, 2004. With no new agreement in hand when the contract expired, league commissioner Gary Bettman announced a lockout of the players union and closed

12596-604: The league took full exclusivity of the Stanley Cup in 1926, and 22 Stanley Cups afterwards. The reigning league champions are the Florida Panthers , who defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals . The National Hockey League was established in 1917 as the successor to the National Hockey Association (NHA). Founded in 1909, the NHA began play in 1910 with seven teams in Ontario and Quebec , and

12730-492: The league's head office for the 2004–05 season . The league vowed to install what it dubbed "cost certainty" for its teams, but the Players' Association countered that the move was little more than a euphemism for a salary cap , which the union initially said it would not accept. The lockout shut down the league for 310 days, making it the longest in sports history, as the NHL became the first professional sports league to lose an entire season. A new collective bargaining agreement

12864-745: The league, as elite players have suffered from the aftereffects of concussions (such as Sidney Crosby being sidelined for approximately ten and a half months), which adversely affects the league's marketability. In December 2009, Brendan Shanahan was hired to replace Colin Campbell, and was given the role of senior vice-president of player safety. Shanahan began to hand out suspensions on high-profile perpetrators responsible for dangerous hits, such as Raffi Torres receiving 25 games for his hit on Marian Hossa . To aid with removing high-speed collisions on icing, which had led to several potential career-ending injuries, such as to Hurricanes' defenceman Joni Pitkanen ,

12998-419: The leaping panther crest in front and the alternate palm tree logo on the shoulders. Diagonal stripes accentuated the sleeves and the yoke design was triangular in shape. Yellow and navy were used as accent colors. In 1998, the Panthers debuted an alternate navy uniform, with the front crest depicting the leaping panther holding a pair of broken hockey sticks. Prior to the 2003–04 season, the navy uniform became

13132-780: The months of June and December, with the exact date and place to be fixed by the Commissioner. The chief executive of the league is commissioner Gary Bettman . Some other senior executives include chief legal officer Bill Daly , director of hockey operations Colin Campbell , and senior vice president of player safety George Parros . A committee led by Bettman and chairman Jeremy Jacobs is responsible for vetting new ownership applications, collective bargaining, and league expansion. Other members include Mark Chipman , N. Murray Edwards , Craig Leipold , Ted Leonsis , Geoff Molson , Henry Samueli , Larry Tanenbaum , Jeff Vinik , and David Blitzer . The National Hockey League's rules are one of

13266-477: The nearby Everglades region. Once the logos and uniforms were unveiled on June 15, the team also announced its financial commitment to the panther preservation cause. Huizenga had held the Panthers trademark since 1991, when he purchased it from a group of Tampa investors who sought to create an MLB team in the Tampa Bay area. The new franchise joined the NHL for participation in the 1993–94 season , along with

13400-479: The net to bring an extra skater to the ice, Brandon Montour scored with under a minute left to play to send the game to overtime. In overtime, despite a few saves by Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman , Carter Verhaeghe scored to win the game 4–3 and stun the Bruins, setting up a second round matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs . In the second round, the Panthers continued their positive streak, defeating

13534-423: The night of the Panthers' 1995–96 home opener, a rat scurried across the team's locker room. Scott Mellanby reacted by " one-timing " the rat against the wall, killing it. That night, he scored two goals, which Vanbiesbrouck quipped was "a rat trick ." Two nights later, as the story found its way into the world, a few fans threw rubber rats on the ice in celebration of a goal. The rubber rat count went from 16 for

13668-431: The offside rule were among several rule changes intended to increase overall scoring, which had been in decline since the expansion years of the mid-nineties and the increased prevalence of the neutral zone trap . Since 2005, when a team is guilty of icing the puck they are not allowed to make a line change or skater substitution of any sort before the following face-off (except to replace an injured player or re-install

13802-403: The power play. The league also imposes a conduct policy on its players. Players are banned from gambling and criminal activities have led to the suspension of players. The league and the Players' Association agreed to a stringent anti-doping policy in the 2005 collective bargaining agreement. The policy provides for a twenty-game suspension for a first positive test, a sixty-game suspension for

13936-462: The primary home uniform while the red uniform was relegated to alternate status. The crests on both uniforms were also switched. Adopting the Reebok Edge template in 2007, the Panthers revealed new uniform designs. The navy and white uniforms sported a thicker stripe on each sleeve along with added piping. In 2009, the Panthers unveiled a navy alternate uniform, featuring a roundel crest depicting

14070-530: The record-breaking, 135-point Boston Bruins in the first round . As the heavy underdogs in the series, the Panthers were down 3–1 after losing game 4 at home. However, they won game 5 in overtime, 4–3 at the TD Garden , and game 6, 7–5, at home to tie the series at 3. In the definitive game 7, the Panthers led 2–0 after the first period, but were down 3–2 with under two minutes left in the third period, facing elimination. However, after goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky left

14204-482: The regular season with 122 points, with a 58–18–6 record, the best record registered in the league since division rivals Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018–19 . On May 13, the Panthers advanced past the first round for the first time in 26 years, dating back to the 1996 conference finals , by beating the Washington Capitals in six games, eliminating them with a 4–3 overtime victory. However, their luck would run out in

14338-560: The same colors as the video rental chain (blue and gold) and even a uniform concept was designed. In the end, the NHL rejected the nickname. On April 20, 1993, a press conference in Ft. Lauderdale announced that the team would be named Florida Panthers, with former New York Islanders general manager Bill Torrey as president and Bobby Clarke as general manager. The team is named for the Florida panther , an endangered species of large cat endemic to

14472-485: The season with general manager Bryan Murray. The change did not aid matters, as Florida posted a franchise-worst 24–43–15 record, including a 15-game winless streak. This season also marked the end of goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck's time in Florida; in the midst of that streak, he was shelled by the Chicago Blackhawks and never played another game for the Panthers. In the following off-season, Vanbiesbrouck signed with

14606-445: The season, breaking their previous record set during 2015–16 season . Three weeks later, on April 21, 2022, following a 5–2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings , the Panthers crowned themselves as Atlantic Division champions for the first time since the 2015–16 season. The victory was also Florida's 12th consecutive, dating back to a 7–4 win over the Montreal Canadiens on March 29. This win streak matched another one achieved during

14740-593: The season, the Panthers were able to finish first in the Southeast Division, marking the end of their record-setting decade-long postseason drought. The Panthers won the first-ever division title in franchise history with a 4–1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on April 7, 2012. However, the Panthers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils, losing at home in double overtime of game 7. In

14874-460: The second round, as the Panthers were swept in four games by the archrival the Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida went completely dry offensively, scoring only three goals throughout the whole four-game series. After being swept in the second round by the Lightning, general manager Bill Zito decided to move on from interim head coach Andrew Brunette. On June 22, 2022, the Panthers hired Paul Maurice to be

15008-430: The suspension of operations of its predecessor organization, the National Hockey Association (NHA), which had been founded in 1909 at Renfrew, Ontario . The NHL immediately took the NHA's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and foldings left the NHL as the only league competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926. At its inception,

15142-512: The team was hampered by injuries, most notably to star center Aleksander Barkov, who was sidelined for a large portion of the season. Despite being outside of playoff contention by February 2023, the Panthers slowly gained momentum, aided by Barkov's return, and eventually finished the season with a 42–32–8 record, good enough for 92 points and the last wild card spot, one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins. As such, they were set to battle

15276-560: The team were only established in June 1993, while vice president of business operations Dean Jordan conceded that "none of the business people, myself included, knew anything about hockey." The new franchise would be the first professional ice hockey team in Miami since the folding of the Tropical Hockey League in 1939. Huizenga initially wanted to name the team the "Block Busters" in honor of his video rental chain. The team would have

15410-528: The team within the next two years. The expansion draft would later haunt the Panthers in the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals as the Vegas Golden Knights would defeat the Panthers in five games with Marchessault winning the Conn Smythe Trophy and Smith scoring the series-clinching goal. The 2017–18 season began with a 19–22–6 record leading up to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game . The Panthers then went on

15544-547: The third home game to over 2,000 during the playoffs. In the 1996 playoffs , as the fourth seed in the East, the Panthers faced the Boston Bruins in the first round and won in five games. Bill Lindsay 's series-clinching goal is still a trademark image for the run the third-year franchise went on. The Panthers went on to upset the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in six games followed by the second-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in seven (with Tom Fitzgerald scoring what would end up being

15678-426: The third straight season. The next day, Joel Quenneville was named the 16th head coach of the Panthers. Longtime goaltender Roberto Luongo retired at the conclusion of the 2018–19 season . Tallon made a splash on the first day of free agency to replace the retired Luongo and signed two-time Vezina Trophy -winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year deal. At the time of the signing, Bobrovsky's contract

15812-593: The top-ranked professional ice hockey league in the world, with players from 17 countries as of the 2023–24 season . The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also views the Stanley Cup as one of the "most important championships available to the sport". The NHL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan . The National Hockey League was organized at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal on November 26, 1917, after

15946-430: The trade deadline, the Panthers reacquired Roberto Luongo from Vancouver. The Panthers would relieve Horachek of his duties at the end of the season, replacing him with former Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Gerard Gallant . The team also received the first overall pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft , using it to select Barrie Colts defenseman Aaron Ekblad . The Panthers' 2014–15 home opener on October 12, 2014, set

16080-453: The trapezoid or in front of the goal line; if the goaltender plays the puck behind the goal line and outside the trapezoidal area, a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game is assessed. The rule is unofficially nicknamed the " Martin Brodeur rule"; Brodeur at the time was one of the best goaltenders at getting behind the net to handle the puck. Since the 2013–14 season, the league trimmed

16214-684: The turn of the century, nine more teams were added to the NHL: the San Jose Sharks , the Tampa Bay Lightning , the Ottawa Senators , the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim , the Florida Panthers , the Nashville Predators , the Atlanta Thrashers , and, in 2000, the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets . Also, in the mid to late 1990s, the Quebec Nordiques, original Winnipeg Jets, and Hartford Whalers relocated to Denver, Phoenix, and Raleigh. In 2011,

16348-676: The two standard sets of professional ice hockey rules in the world, the other being the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), as used in tournaments such as the Olympics . The IIHF rules are derived from the Canadian amateur ice hockey rules of the early 20th century, while the NHL rules evolved directly from the first organized indoor ice hockey game in Montreal in 1875, updated by subsequent leagues up to 1917, when

16482-506: The world by revenue , after the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Premier League (PL). The league's headquarters have been in Manhattan since 1989, when the head office moved from Montreal. There have been four league-wide work stoppages in NHL history, all occurring after 1992. The NHL's regular season

16616-493: 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 in the Thunderdome before a then-NHL record crowd of 27,227. The Panthers had one of the most successful first seasons of any expansion team in league history, finishing just two points below .500 and narrowly missing out on the final 1994 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Their first-year success

16750-484: Was attributed mainly to the trap defense that first-year coach Roger Neilson implemented. This conservative style was widely criticized by NHL teams; some even suggested that the Panthers were ruining the game. While the team executives expected the audience to consist of mostly " snowbird " Canadians living in Florida, the Floridians soon embraced the Panthers. Helped by Miami's other teams having middling performances,

16884-466: Was deemed a risk and gamble due to the contract value, Bobrovsky's inconsistent play, and his age. On August 10, 2020, after nine years as general manager, the Panthers and Tallon mutually agreed to part ways, following the team's elimination in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs . In Tallon's tenure, the Panthers qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs three times, in 2012 , 2016 , and 2020 with

17018-484: Was eventually ratified in July 2005, including a salary cap. The agreement had a term of six years with an option of extending the collective bargaining agreement for an additional year at the end of the term, allowing the league to resume as of the 2005–06 season . On October 5, 2005, the first post-lockout season took to the ice with all 30 teams. The NHL received record attendance in the 2005–06 season, with an average of 16,955 per game. However, its television audience

17152-483: Was honored as NHL Executive of the Year. The Panthers began the next season with a 12-game unbeaten streak, but faded in the second half of the season after trading second line center Stu Barnes . They lost in five games in the first round of the playoffs to the Wayne Gretzky -led New York Rangers . The team would plummet in the 1997–98 season . After a 7–12–4 start, the Panthers fired Doug MacLean, replacing him for

17286-471: Was named by Darrel Ambrosini, a then-five-year-old fan of the team who creatively came up with the mascot's moniker. Viktor E. Ratt was introduced in October 2014 after much debate and honors the club's 1996 Stanley Cup Finals run where rats were tossed on ice . He is an anthropomorphic rat . The Panthers' designated television market includes South Florida. In July 2024, amid Bally Sports 's bankruptcy,

17420-530: Was one of the first major leagues in professional ice hockey. However, by its eighth season , a series of disputes with Toronto Blueshirts owner Eddie Livingstone led team owners of the Montreal Canadiens , the Montreal Wanderers , the Ottawa Senators , and the Quebec Bulldogs to hold a meeting to discuss the league's future. Realizing the NHA constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out,

17554-629: Was planning to declare itself a major league and challenge for the Stanley Cup, spurred the NHL to undertake its first expansion since the 1920s . The league doubled in size to 12 teams for the 1967–68 season , adding the Los Angeles Kings , the Minnesota North Stars , the Philadelphia Flyers , the Pittsburgh Penguins , the California Seals , and the St. Louis Blues . However, Canadian fans were outraged that all six teams were placed in

17688-461: Was promoted to general manager. After an 11–10–1 start to the season, the Panthers fired head coach Gerard Gallant and general manager Tom Rowe took over as interim head coach. At the end of the season, Rowe was relieved of his duties as both coach and general manager and was named special advisor to Tallon, who returned to positions of team president and general manager. On June 12, 2017, the Panthers named Bob Boughner as their new head coach. In

17822-596: Was selected third overall by the Panthers. Said then-head coach Mike Keenan , "We shouldn't have done that ... Jay would have been number-one if we'd kept that pick." 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. The West overcame a four-goal outburst by Thrashers winger Dany Heatley , who took home MVP honors in his first All-Star appearance. On June 23, 2006,

17956-402: Was slower to rebound due to American cable broadcaster ESPN 's decision to drop its NHL coverage. The league's post-lockout agreement with NBC gave the league a share of revenue from each game's advertising sales, rather than the usual lump sum paid up front for game rights. The league's annual revenues were estimated at $ 2.27 billion. On September 16, 2012, the labour pact expired, and

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