Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
It’s an honor
Florida Panthers to retire No. 37 for founder and former owner Wayne Huizenga.
The Florida Panthers will add another number to the rafters next month when the franchise retires No. 37 in honor of founder and former owner H. Wayne Huizenga.
The team announced the move on Sunday, 25 years to the day since South Florida was awarded a hockey franchise. The ceremony will take place on Jan. 19 before the Panthers take on the expansion Vegas Golden Knights at the BB&T Center.
“Today, on the 25th anniversary of our franchise’s inauguration, we have an opportunity to take stock of our history and celebrate what makes our organization special,” Panthers owner Vincent Viola said in a statement.
“If you look at the history of our franchise, it’s clear that the founding years and H. Wayne Huizenga’s stewardship represents a golden era for our club. We aspire to his example, both on the ice and in the community, which is why we’re honored to hang the number 37 from BB&T Center’s rafters as a permanent tribute to H. Wayne Huizenga and the Huizenga family’s community leadership and high standard of excellence.”
No. 37 will only be the second number retired by the Panthers, and both are honoring front-office members. In 2010, Florida retired No. 93 to honor former Panthers president, current special adviser to the general manager, and Hall of Famer Bill Torrey.
Huizenga’s family selected No. 37 because it was his “birth year and lucky number,” according to a release.
“I was honored to partner with Wayne in the founding years of this franchise and I’m thrilled that our names will permanently fly side-by-side over Panthers games,” Torrey said in a statement. “Our club will forever aspire to Wayne’s standard of excellence on the ice and his community leadership off of it, which is why he’s deserving of the highest honor the Florida Panthers can bestow.”
Huizenga was a staple in South Florida sports circles, owning the Panthers, Marlins and Dolphins. He sold the Panthers in 2001 and owned the team during the franchise’s best season: a 1995-96 run to the Stanley Cup Final. The franchise has been to the playoff four times since.
Only seven players in franchise history have worn No. 37, most recently Brett Regner for seven games in 2016 and most often by goaltender Trevor Kidd for 103 games from 1999-2002.
Huizenga’s number will add to an array of unconventional banners once hung in Sunrise. The Panthers once raised banners for hosting the 2001 draft and the 2003 All-Star Game. A banner hangs to recognize the most successful expansion franchise in NHL history, when Florida collected 83 points in 1993-94.
But Vegas is likely to break that record, with the help of former Panthers coach Gerard Gallant and forwards Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. With 39 points in 29 games, the Golden Knights are on pace for 110 points this season.
Never give up
During Saturday’s 7-3 loss to Colorado, Panthers coach Bob Boughner made the unusual decision to pull goalie James
Reimer for an extra attacker with more than six minutes remaining. At the time, Florida trailed 5-2 and Jonathan Huberdeau made it a two-goal game just 22 seconds after Reimer was removed.
“We’re going to make sure our team knows we’re never giving up until the end,” Boughner said. “As a coaching staff, that’s the way we’re going to play the game. That’s the decision that we made. We scored that goal there. If it happens to be we get another one, it’s game on with about three, four minutes to go.”
But Colorado scored with 4:01 left and again with 2:20 remaining to pull farther away from Florida.