Florida Panthers v Washington Capitals — Matthew Tkachuk #19, Aleksander Barkov #16, and Alex Lyon #34 of the Florida Panthers react after defeating the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on April 8, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Florida Panthers playoff history: One of the NHL's youngest franchises' storied quest for a Stanley Cup

Modified Apr 15, 2023 04:13 GMT

The Florida Panthers have a relatively short playoff history compared to some of the NHL's other franchises, but they have still had their fair share of memorable moments over the years. As they head into the 2023 NHL playoffs, let's take a look back at their playoff history.

The playoff history of one of the NHL’s greatest franchises, the Florida Panthers, ahead of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

The Florida Panthers were founded in 1993 and made their first playoff appearance in just their third season, in 1996. That year, the Panthers surprised many by reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced off against the Colorado Avalanche. Despite losing the series in four games, the Panthers' run to the Finals was a memorable one, with highlight moments such as Scott Mellanby's "rat trick" in the first round.

After a few seasons of playoff absences, the Florida Panthers returned to the postseason in 2000, where they faced off against the New Jersey Devils in the first round. Despite taking a 3-2 series lead, the Panthers were unable to close out the Devils and lost in seven games. The following year, the Panthers faced off against the Ottawa Senators in the first round and lost in six games.

The Florida Panthers made another playoff appearance in 2012, where they faced off against the New Jersey Devils once again in the first round. This time, the Panthers were able to exact revenge on the Devils, winning the series in seven games. Unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to advance past the second round, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Los Angeles Kings.

In their most recent playoff appearance in 2022, the Panthers won the President’s Trophy with the league’s best record and beat the Washington Capitals in the first round. They then faced off against their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the second round. The series was a hard-fought battle, but the Panthers were on the losing end of each of the first four games of the series, eliminating them.

Despite their relatively short playoff history, the Florida Panthers have had some memorable moments and have shown that they can be a competitive team in the postseason. As they head into the 2023 NHL playoffs, they will be looking to build on their past success and make a deep run in the postseason. With a talented roster and strong goaltending, the Panthers could be a team to watch out for in the playoffs.