The 2024 Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers are South Florida’s National Hockey League (NHL) franchise and one of the most exciting teams in hockey. The Panthers’ arena in Sunrise, about 40 miles northwest of Downtown Miami, is often a destination for visiting fans as well, making every game a spirited rivalry both on and off the ice.

With a dance team, two mascots, a patio bar and plenty of on-ice entertainment, Panthers games are fun for hockey fans and even those who don’t know much about the game.

Florida Panthers, photo by Eliot J. Schechter — Attend a game and celebrate a Panthers goal, photo by Eliot J. Schechter

The Panthers’ Den at Amerant Bank Arena

The Panthers play their home games at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The drive takes about an hour from Downtown Miami. Parking is available at the arena for $40-60. You can also park for free across the street at Sawgrass Mills mall and walk over. Sawgrass Mills also has numerous dining options. The arena is not easily accessible by public transportation, so if you’re visiting from out of town, you’ll either want to rent a car or use Uber, Lyft or another ride-sharing service.

How to Attend a Panthers Game

Tickets to Panthers games can be purchased through the team’s website and are relatively inexpensive by NHL standards, although games against popular opponents, like the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, and playoff games can be more expensive. Check the Panthers’ schedule to see who they’re playing while you’re in town, and make sure to buy tickets in advance, as many games sell out.

The Panthers’ practices at Baptist Health IcePlex near downtown Fort Lauderdale are often open to the public and always free to attend.

Meet the Panthers

The Panthers boast one of the most dynamic rosters in the NHL, led by hard-hitting forward Matthew Tkachuk and center Sam Bennett. Other top players include longtime Panthers Alexander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers’ goalie is Sergei Bobrovsky, one of the top netminders in the NHL and a big reason the Panthers won the Stanley Cup. Late in the 2024-25 season, the Panthers also traded for Boston Bruins standout Brad Marchand, solidifying the roster for another Stanley Cup chase.

Past Florida Panthers’ standouts include Hall of Fame forward Pavel Bure and goalie Roberto Luongo and future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr as well as goalie John Vanbiesbrouck, a key player in the Panthers’ run to the 1996 finals and a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. The coach of the Panthers is Paul Maurice, who’s been on the job since 2022. Businessman Vincent Viola has owned the team since 2013.

The Panthers’ Exciting & Offbeat History

The Panthers originally played at Miami Arena in Downtown Miami before moving north to Broward County in 1998. In only their third season, they made an underdog run to the 1996 Stanley Cup finals, exciting fans in Miami and all over South Florida. Although they lost in the finals to the Colorado Avalanche, the 1996 team firmly entrenched hockey in the area’s sports culture.

How Rubber Rats Became Tradition

One tradition that began that season and became famous was fans throwing rubber rats onto the ice after a Panthers’ goal or win. As legend has it, Panthers forward Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the locker room before the season’s opening game then hit it across the room with his stick. He scored two goals in that game, and the dead rat became a symbol of luck for the team. Even today, some fans throw rubber rats onto the ice after goals, and one of the Panthers’ mascots is Viktor E. Ratt, a giant rat who cheers on the team along with Stanley C. Panther, a mascot dressed up like Florida’s official state animal.

After the magical 1995-1996 season, the Panthers made only four playoff appearances until 2020 and didn’t win another playoff series until 2022. Then, in 2023, the Panthers went on another Stanley Cup run, winning the Eastern Conference championship before falling to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Then, in 2024, the Panthers won the Eastern Conference championship for the second straight year. In the finals against the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers, the Panthers won the first three games, lost the next three and prevailed in Game 7 in Sunrise, 2-1, for their first Stanley Cup championship.

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