Is the most magical time of the year.
Training camp is opening, PTO’s (like Troy Brouwer) are being announced.
Rookies are traveling to practice rinks early in hopes of impressing their coaches.
So as we get ready for what promises to be a glorious season for the Florida Panthers, what are some games we need to “save the date” for? These games are ones where you may have to cancel your cousins wedding, or quit your job to make sure you don’t miss!
October 5th VS TBL: Opening Night
Opening day in baseball is kind of a religion. People only show up for one game a year and yield their offering to their baseball team only to be sorely disappointed a few games later. In hockey, we make opening night a big deal because it marks the return of a community of fans. You will see people high fiving and rejoicing as they find their seats and see old friends along the way. Also, every opening night the team announces the whole roster and makes a big production so make sure not to miss this one!
November 16th VS NYR: Sergei Bobrovsky VS Artemiy Panarin
The biggest story in the Panthers offseason was the signing of elite goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky! However, these was almost more to celebrate as now New York Rangers star Artemiy Panarin also interviewed with the Cats. Ultimately, Panarin decided to play his home games at Madison Square Garden, disappointing some hopeful fans. This will be the first game that these two Russian BFF’s play against each other since March 31st, 2017 when Panarin was with Chicago! No hardcore fan will want to miss this matchup!
December 7th VS CBJ: Sergei Bobrovsky Faces The Blue Jackets
Speaking of Sergei Bobrovsky, in December Panthers fans will get a chance to see Bob face his old squad. Bobrovsky won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top regular season goaltender twice with the Blue Jackets! This will be what old time hockey fans call a “money on the board” game where Bob will be motivated to win against his old team. Look for a spectacular goaltending performance and an all around fun game!
December 29thVS MTL: Traditional New Years Game VS The French
The tradition has gone on for years, the Florida Panthers always host the Montreal Canadians around New Years eve (sometimes a few days before or after). This is ultimately a marketing ploy to try and lure in French Canadians who have abandoned their God-forsaken igloos to enjoy the beaches of Fort Lauderdale for the holidays, but it has also become a fun tradition for Panthers fans to enjoy selling their Season Ticket for one game to pay off half their plan…. Just kidding (sort of) but the chants of Olé, Olé, Olé are way more fun when the Panthers are winning! (The Cats are 2-3 in the last five years in this holiday classic)
March 7th VS MTL: Luongo Retirement Night
Roberto Luongo is the first player to ever have his number retired as a Panther and so you WILL NOT want to miss the ceremony when the Cats take on the Montreal Canadians on March 7th! Lu meant everything to this team and every Panther fan will want to be there that night to remind him of it! Get your tickets quick to this one though, it’s sure to be a hot ticket combining nostalgia for the glory days of the Panthers, with nostalgia for a country the French Canadians abandoned…
March 21st VS STL: Facing The Stanley Cup Champions
This year the St. Louis Blues shocked the hockey world by winning their first Stanley Cup Championship! After one of the best playoff brackets in recent memory the Blues defeats the Panthers Atlantic Division rival Boston to hoist Lord Stanley’s chalice. This will be their one trip to South Florida this season, so if you want to see them make sure to score tickets early!
April 4th VS WSH: Last Game Of The Regular Season
Hopefully this game won’t even matter because the Panthers are headed to the playoffs with the Stanley Cup in mind, but it is fun to be at the last game of the regular season each year. Bonus that it is against the Capitals who always bring a fun crowd. Either way, the Panther usually give out some fun gifts to thank their fans so for the price of an upper level ticket you might go home with a flat screen tv…pretty good deal!
Did we miss any games that your excited about? Hit us up @pantherparkway on twitter!