The Florida Panthers hockey team is having its best season in a long time, tied for first in the Southeast Division heading out of the All-Star Break.

Hockey is big in Canada as is WWE. So some Panthers grew up pro wrestling/sports entertainment fans in Canada.

With WrestleMania 28 in Miami, April 1 at Sun Life Stadium, that’s within driving distance of the Saveology Iceplex, the Panthers practice rink in Coral Springs and the Bank Atlantic Center, the Panthers home ice in Sunrise.

The Bank Atlantic Center also knows WWE, serving as host to many WWE events, including a Raw house show in December.

After practice recently, three Panthers had some fun discussing WWE pro wrestling/sports entertainment. Not one mentioned The Goon.

• F Kris Versteeg (#32)

5-11, 183 pounds

Age: 25

Born: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Favorites?

“I had a couple of favorite wrestlers — the Million Dollar Man [Ted DiBiase], Macho Man Randy Savage, Jake The Snake [Roberts]. So I had a few of them. I played a lot of wrestling games on Sega Genesis. You could do King of the Ring and stuff like that. It was pretty neat.

“I liked the villain. Million Dollar Man heard the boo’s quite a bit.”

How big was it in Canada?

“It was big for the kids. It was something that we all got to watch, Monday Night Raw.

“It gives the kids some role models. I definitely enjoyed it.”

What about The Rock who will return to main event WrestleMania 28 in Miami?

“I enjoyed The Rock. The last few years I watched wrestling The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin were really big. I enjoyed when Stone Cold crushed a few beers in the ring. He was definitely my role model at that time, too.”

Mom?

“My mom tried to ban it from my house. Me and my brothers would head out to the trampoline, but luckily our spinal cords didn’t snap. She tried to find a way to stop it from happening, but me and my brothers would find a way anyways.”

Interest in attending WrestleMania 28 Miami?

“I don’t know if we play on that day, but I talked to a few friends, and I’d like to head down there and see what that whole event is all about. Hopefully get backstage and meet a few people. It’s definitely something I’m interested in.”

Versteeg just remembered something.

“Bret The Hitman Hart, I forget about him. He is a Canadian boy. He’s another one of my favorites. One of my favorites is when he would put them in the Sharpshooter — you take the guy and flip him over and bend him back.

“The Hart family is from my hometown, near my hometown. They’re from Calgary. Bret is actually part owners of a WHL hockey team [Calgary Hitmen]. I used to play against his hockey team. He’s a huge hockey fan. He’s gained, obviously, a lot of respect from a lot of hockey players for what he does, too. I never got to meet him, but a lot of my buddies that played there met him. He was there quite a bit. I think I met his daughter one time at an event but never him.”

• Team: Calgary Hitmen (founder and part-owner Bret The Hitman Hart)

Type: Major junior ice hockey team

Affiliation: Western Hockey League - Canada

Mascot: Farley the Fox (not former WWE wrestler The Goon)

NHL: Thirty-five Hitmen have played in the NHL. One competed in WWE (not former WWE wrestler The Goon).

• D Jason Garrison (#52)

6-2, 214

Age: 27

Born: White Rock, British Columbia, Canada

Where you a fan growing up?

“When I was growing up, I watched all the WWF shows. The Ultimate Warrior was my biggest hero in wrestling. I think I was him a couple of times for Halloween. When I got into my teens, The Rock was a big hit. I definitely liked watching that entertainment for sure.”

Why?

“It was just good entertainment. As a kid growing up, these guys, big bodies, it was just the thing to watch. High energy. Some of those signature moves that every wrestler had, some of them stick with you longer, I guess.”

Your thoughts of The Rock.

“The Rock was awesome. He still is pretty cool. He probably had the most votes [cheers]. He was the biggest wrestler, probably had the most followers, support. I think everyone wanted to kind of be him. Everyone would always say, ‘Do you smell what The Rock is cooking?’ It was good.”

Would you go to WrestleMania 28 Miami?

“If it would work out, for sure, and I’m sure some of the guys wouldn’t mind going. It would be cool to be involved in it somehow, too. If we had a good off or if the schedule worked out, going to a show like that would be pretty cool. It’s a little closer if it’s the Bank Atlantic Center, but Miami’s not that far away. So we got no problem going there.”

• D Erik Gudbranson (#44)

6-4, 195

Age: 20

Born: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

What was it like growing up with pro wrestling/sports entertainment?

“My parents didn’t like me watching it, but Randy Savage, he was pretty unreal. Now my favorite guy is probably Mark Henry. He is pretty unreal, just a big ball of muscle just walking down.”

What’s the appeal to it?

“You pay attention to it, when you see it. I was never the guy who had the action figures or anything. I never really got too deep into it, but I knew what was going on.”

Is WrestleMania 28 Miami something to attend?

“Yea, why not? Why wouldn’t you go to a WrestleMania? It’s a thing you can check off the bucket list, for sure. So if we got tickets, I’d definitely go.”

• Like Facebook WWE WrestleMania 28 Miami.

• Visit http://panthers.nhl.com/.

• WWE WrestleMania 28 is Sunday, April 1 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Tickets available for WWE WrestleMania 28 (Sun Life Stadium), WWE Fan Axxess (Miami Beach Convention Center), WWE Hall of Fame (AmericanAirlines Arena) and WWE Monday Night Raw (AmericanAirlines Arena).

Check TicketMaster or the event’s host box office.