SUNRISE, Fla. — It's been three months since Florida Panthers fans last got to see the two-time champs in action.
On Sunday morning, Panthers fans woke up bright and early to line up outside the IcePlex and show their support.
"It's a dream come true," Kaveon Abner said. "It's my first time coming out and seeing them play."
Once the fans made it to their seats at the sold-out event, the cheering began for the defending champs while they practiced.
"It was great, I didn't expect so many fans to come out to see a practice," Panthers defender Dmitry Kulikov said. "It's just a sign that hockey's growing in Florida."
While fans were excited, they understand that the road to a three-peat will be tough with Matthew Tkachuk out until December and Aleksander Barkov out for seven to nine months.
"I think there are plenty of leaders on that team, so I hope that some of the other guys will step up,” said fan Kristina Burgoyne.
That next man mentality Burgoyne speaks of has already been instilled in the locker room.
"There's a lot of options, no matter which way you look at it," Panthers center Sam Reinhart said. "You've got the new guys coming in and the old ones going out. So, there's a lot of options for both. So no matter who you're going with, there's plenty of options to go around."
Over the past three years, the Panthers have been able to retain their core players, which Head Coach Paul Maurice says will significantly benefit them during the season.
"You can't have five major fires at the same time, alright," Maurice said. "You can deal with one, but having four guys now that have played together and had success together, the only adjustment is Dmitry going to the left, so there might be a bit of time on that."
As the Florida Panthers chase a third Stanley Cup championship this season, WPTV is along for the ride!
We will be highlighting the team with our new show on South Florida's 9 called "Panthers 360".
Hosted by WPTV anchor Mike Trim, watch the show each Wednesday starting Sept. 24.
We will take an in-depth look at the season, break down film and connect with the players and special stories off the ice.
Every Monday at 12:15 p.m. on the WPTV YouTube page, Trim will be joined by different analysts to discuss the latest on the team. We want to hear your thoughts, so post your questions and comments while the live interview takes place!
South Florida's 9 is your home for Panthers hockey all season long!
