A true fan is best known by their passion, spirit and love for their team, and at almost every Panthers games, there are two fans who embody those characteristics.
"My wife bought a four-game package one year, and it kind of snowballed from there," Rick McDaniel said.
WATCH WPTV'S COVERAGE BELOW:
"We had some friends, and we kind of all went together and started as season ticket holders," Robin McDaniel said.
That's husband and wife, who met years ago at work and have been inseparable ever since.
They've bonded through their love for each other and sports, but their love for the Florida Panthers is just as strong as their relationship.
"It's something we do together, and it's very exciting," Robin said.
Exciting might be an understatement. They've been going to Panthers games since 2007, so they've seen the painful seasons and the championship seasons.
However, their fandom reached a new level in 2024 when they traveled to the Global Series in Finland.
Where they met Olli Rasinmaki, a Finnish photographer and hockey fan, and over the years the three have stayed in touch.
Recently, their friendship came in handy when the McDaniels wanted to reach out to the Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov, after he injured his knee in the preseason.
"We came up with the idea to send get-well cards to him. Olli translated get well, Barkov in Finnish," Robin said.
The team informed the duo that the cards made it to Barky just in time for the holidays.
And while Barky has a long recovery ahead of him, the McDaniels will be at every game rooting and screaming in support of the Cats.
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 evening and also streaming at 7:30 p.m.
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!
