Need a cheat sheet on the Florida Panthers? Become an expert for Stanley Cup
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2025 Stanley Cup Final: Florida vs. Edmonton
The Florida Panthers return to the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive year as they face the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of last season’s final that the Panthers won in seven games.
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The Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final — and you’re surrounded by hockey talk at work, school and home.
But what if you aren’t a big fan? Or haven’t paid attention until this point?
This cheat sheet tells you what to know about the Panthers as they go for a second straight Stanley Cup against the Edmonton Oilers:
The basics
▪ This is the Super Bowl of professional hockey. Except the champion must win 4 of 7 games.
▪ Hockey has three periods of 20 minutes each.
▪ Just like with a soccer ball, a team scores when the puck lands in the net or behind the goalie line.
▪ There are penalties for fighting on the ice, but you may see some pounding anyway.
How to sound like a hockey expert
Conversation-starters for the party:
▪ This is just the fifth time in NHL history since 1967 that two teams will face off in the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive years.
▪ This is Florida’s fourth trip to the Stanley Cup Final, and the third in a row.
▪ The Panthers finished third in the Atlantic Division, but made it to the Stanley Cup Final by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1, the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 2 and the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final.
▪ By the time the Stanley Cup Final ends, the Panthers will have played 312 to 315 games during the past three seasons, breaking the record of 309 games over a three-season span.
▪ Players relax on the road by hitting Dairy Queen. Good news for the team: There are dozens of the ice cream stands in Edmonton.
Who are the top players?
▪ The face of the Panthers is Matthew Tkachuk (pronounced ‘kuh-chuck,’ the T is silent). Florida has made it to the Stanley Cup Final each of the three years he has been with the team. A spot on the USA’s Olympic roster next winter. Other top players are Aleksander Barkov, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and newly acquired Brad Marchand.
What about the coach?
Panthers coach Paul Maurice is worth watching and listening to. He dresses in the traditional suit, wears thick black-framed glasses and looks like an accountant. He also has a way with words and a dry wit. “We’ve got a good team here,” he says. “I’m just trying not to mess it up.” But beyond the polite words, he also has dropped some f-bombs to inspire his team. “If I could’ve yelled louder or if I could’ve been [expletive] more profane than I was, I would’ve. ... I needed to channel my father, who’s a gifted curser. That’s all I had. I was honest. That’s how I felt.”
How can you watch the Panthers on TV?
Florida Panthers vs. Edmontown Oilers:
▪ Game 1: Wednesday, June 4, 8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max, Edmonton’s Rogers Place
▪ Game 2: Friday, June 6, 8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max, Edmonton’s Rogers Place
▪ Game 3: Monday, June 9, 8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max, Sunrise’s Amerant Bank Arena
▪ Game 4: Thursday, June 12, 8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max, Sunrise’s Amerant Bank Arena
▪ Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday, June 14, 8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max, Edmonton’s Rogers Place
▪ Game 6 (if necessary): Tuesday, June 17, 8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max, Sunrise’s Amerant Bank Arena
▪ Game 7 (if necessary): Friday, June 20, 8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max, Edmonton’s Rogers Place
Where are the official Panther watch parties?
The official watch parties for the Stanley Cup Final are at Amerant Arena in Sunrise and and at the IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.
What to know about the Panthers through the years
The Florida Panthers began playing in the 1993 hockey season. Three years later, in 1996, they made the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Colorado Avalanche. The Cats played the first few years at the old Miami Arena in Overtown, sharing it with the Heat. The Panthers’ current home, now known as Amerant Bank Arena, opened in 1998.
Where do the Panthers play their home games?
Amerant Bank Arena:
▪ Location: 1 Panther Pkway., next to Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise
▪ Opened: 1998 as National Car Rental Center and formerly known as FLA Live Arena.
▪ Capacity: 20,000 seats.
Where do the Panthers practice?
The Florida Panthers moved to a new practice facility in Fort Lauderdale in December 2023. They previously practiced in Coral Springs. The new Baptist Health IcePlex is at the revitalized War Memorial Auditorium near downtown Fort Lauderdale. FTL War Memorial has two sheets of ice for public use, 1,000 seats for fans to watch practices, retail space and an outdoor concert venue. There are also outdoor training spaces, a terrace with barbecues for players to grill, lounge areas. Players have 24-hour access to work out or get treatment.
How do fans celebrate Florida Panthers?
Rats: Fans have tossed rubber rats on the ice through the years. It all started with a real rat in the locker room and one of the Panther players stopping it with his stick. In 1995, player Scott Mellanby saw a rat in the locker room at the old Miami Arena before that night’s game, and hit it into a wall with his stick. That was his warm-up for scoring two of the four goals that led the team to victory against Canada’s Calgary Flames. Since then, fans throw plastic rats on the ice rink after goals to celebrate. And if you catch a game in the arena, there’s a chance the unofficial-but-equally beloved rat mascot gives you a high five.
Elbo Room: The watering hole on the Fort Lauderdale beachfront strip became Florida Panthers central last season after the team won the Stanley Cup. Celebrating players took the Cup to the beach and fans hit the Elbo Room to see the trophy.
KNOW MORE: Why do Florida Panthers fans toss rats on the ice? Here’s how it all started
Get social with the Florida Panthers
Instagram: @flapanthers
Facebook: Florida Panthers
X: @FlaPanthers
Where to get official Panthers merchandise
Florida Panthers fashion: Pantherland, the team store at the front of the Panthers Baptist Health Iceplex practice facility at Fort Lauderdale War Memorial, 800 NE Eighth St. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The team store at Amerant Arena is open duing watch parties every home game an hour before game time to 30 minutes after the game.
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 10:58 AM with the headline "Need a cheat sheet on the Florida Panthers? Become an expert for Stanley Cup."
