Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Panthers offer online series about team’s return
The Florida Panthers are trying to pull back the curtain on their return to the ice.
Wednesday, the team announced a fiveepisode behind-the-scenes online series that will chronicle the team’s build-up to its best-of-five series against the New York Islanders, at a date and time still to be announced.
The series, called “Panthers Uncaged,” will start at 5 p.m. on July 1, with an episode that promises insight from players and staff about how they’re handling the unusual situation of coming back after the COVID-19 pandemic work stoppage. It will be available on YouTube, Facebook, IGTV and PanthersVision.
“During these unprecedented times, we aim to provide access into players’ lives to showcase their emotions, perseverance and dedication in their quest to bring the franchise its first Stanley Cup,” said Panthers’ senior vice president Shawn Thornton.
The latter point will read as an audacious claim for a team that enters the expanded 24-team postseason format as the 10-seed in the Eastern Conference, and for a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff series since it made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996. But throughout the return process, the Panthers have been unequivocal in their goals.
“I think there are a lot of positive things we’ve learned from this situation, Panthers
general manager Dale Tallon said on May 28. “And I think they’re eager and willing to pay the price to go deep.”
That process is already well underway. Florida is already in Phase 2 of the league’s return plan, with players returning to the area for voluntary workouts. Phase 3, training camps, are set to kick off July 10, barring any setbacks. Florida, notably, has emerged as a new hub of rising coronavirus cases, as Wednesday marked another record for cases. It’s still unclear how much the data factors into the league’s plans or individual players’ plans as they weigh the risk levels. The NHL still has not released “hub” cities where games will take place nor dates for the planned return to the ice. It expects to do so once camps open.
A team news release on the series says “Each episode will give insight into the processes, training regimes and preparation for the upcoming 2020 postseason.”
Thornton added: “We wanted to give our Panthers family a behind-the-scenes look at what our players, trainers and staff are doing to ensure a safe environment as the NHL’s Return to Play plan begins.”
As the teams and the league try to sift through these complications, it appears, we’ll all be able to join along for the ride.