It was exactly twenty years ago today that the NHL announced it was awarding expansion franchises to Miami and Anaheim. The announcement was a bit of surprise to some as new teams in Ottawa and Tampa Bay had just begum play, but the chance to add the likes of Blockbuster chairman H. Wayne Huizenga and Disney to the ownership ranks was too much to pass up on.
We’ve witnessed a magnificent Stanley Cup run in 1996 which opened the door for a move from its original home in Miami to new digs in Sunrise, with plenty of highs and lows along the way.
Now we just want to see the team take the ice once again.
So a big Happy Birthday to all former and current members of the Panther family! Here’s hoping the best is yet to come.