How the Florida Panthers became the toast of the town - ESPN

Ten years ago, a photo from a Florida Panthers game went viral — and still lives in infamy. It was Florida's third game of the 2014-15 season, against the Ottawa Senators, and it wouldn't be an impossible exercise to try to count every fan in sight.

«That picture was right at puck drop. It wound up being around 7,000 for the night, but Canadian media were all over us — and rightfully so,» Panthers CEO Matt Caldwell said. «If you're watching a professional sports team have crowds like that, it begs the question: Is this even worth it? Is this survival? Should the team be moved?»

Fast-forward a decade, and the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are the toast of the hockey world. The team told ESPN it is close to selling out season tickets after a nearly 25 percent increase in attendance over the past two years (they averaged 18,632 per game last season), and a 123.8% jump in corporate partnership revenue in the same span. The South Florida market can be finicky and winning cures all, but the Panthers believe they have tapped into a sustainable model — with a legitimate chance to repeat this season. The Panthers have become a force.

«They have that demeanor where they're confident, so they play that way,» said defenseman Brandon Carlo of the rival Boston Bruins. «And that's tough to beat.»

At the NHL draft, it's customary for teams to get on stage and congratulate the recent Stanley Cup winner. At the 2024 draft in Las Vegas, weeks after Florida hoisted its first Cup, not one team shouted out the Panthers. Joked GM Bill Zito: «Nobody likes us.»

A narrative of jealousy lingers around the Panthers. Between the weather and having no state income tax, it's a destination franchise — especially now that they've built a winning