The Florida Panthers have continued the trend of recent success by an NHL team based in the Sunshine State, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight season.
Since 2020, at least one Florida-based team has represented the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final. The Tampa Bay Lightning did so in 2020, 2021, and 2022, winning the Stanley Cup twice but falling short in their bid for a three-peat.
Since then, the Panthers have beaten the Lightning in the postseason twice in three years en route to their third appearance in the title round since 2023.
Looking at the Times the Panthers Appeared in the Stanley Cup Final
For the Panthers, 2025 marks their fourth total appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. Below is a look at each appearance.
1996 Stanley Cup Final: Florida Panthers Vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Panthers had just entered the NHL as an expansion franchise only a few years prior to their Cinderella-esque run to the Cup Final in 1996.
Thanks to the stellar goaltending of John Vanbiesbrouck, along with players like Scott Mellanby, Ed Jovanovski, Ray Sheppard, and Brian Skrudland, the Panthers stunned the hockey world by defeating the Boston Bruins in five games, the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, and the Pittsburgh Penguins in a tightly contested seven-game series.
They were matched up against the Colorado Avalanche, who were playing their first season in Denver since relocating from their previous identity as the Quebec Nordiques. Led by multiple future Hall of Fame players like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Patrick Roy, the Avalanche quickly overwhelmed the Panthers and jumped out to a 3-0 series lead.
Game 4 was the only competitive game of the series, a 1-0 final score in triple overtime. Avalanche defenseman Uwe Krupp finally beat Vanbiesbrouck on a screened shot from the point, ending the game and giving the Avalanche the first title in team history.
2023 Stanley Cup Final: Florida Panthers Vs. Vegas Golden Knights
The Panthers were the final team to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 2022-23 NHL season, clinching a spot on the last day of the campaign and having to play the 65-win Boston Bruins in the opening round.
The Panthers shocked the Bruins by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to win in Game 7, a 4-3 final score in overtime made possible by defenseman Brandon Montour’s game-tying goal late in regulation, followed by Carter Verhaeghe’s deciding goal early in the extra session.
The Panthers then defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games, followed by a clean four-game sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes to return to the Cup Final for the first time since 1996.
Their stay in the Final was short, as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated them in five games, including a 9-3 blowout in the deciding game of the series.
2024 Stanley Cup Final: Florida Panthers Vs. Edmonton Oilers
The Panthers returned to the Cup Final for the second consecutive season thanks to playoff victories over the Lightning, the Bruins, and the New York Rangers.
They raced out to a 3-0 series lead over the Oilers, coming close to completing the first Finals sweep since the 1998 Detroit Red Wings over the Washington Capitals. However, the Oilers rattled off three consecutive victories to force a decisive Game 7 in Florida.
The Oilers were unable to complete what would have been a historic comeback, as the Panthers ultimately prevailed in Game 7 by a 2-1 final score marked by a furious final few minutes of regulation, in which Edmonton desperately attempted to knot the score but fell short.
