Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have been one of the NHL's toughest modern contenders, playing hard-nosed, physical hockey out of Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. Paul Maurice's group built a rabid South Florida fan base with back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and three Finals trips in four years. Even after missing the 2026 playoffs, the Panthers' championship window remains one of the league's most dangerous when healthy.

Founded in 1993, the Panthers reached the 1996 Final as a Cinderella before a long dry spell. Florida re-emerged in the 2020s with Final appearances in 2023, 2024, and 2025, winning Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025 by beating Edmonton both times. The Panthers became the first back-to-back champion to miss the following postseason since the 2015 Kings, failing to qualify in 2026 after a injury-riddled regular season.