Photo credit: NHL.com
Florida Panthers, Winter Classic at loanDepot park, and Brad Marchand have Miami feeling like hockey country.
Friday night is going to look wild, an NHL rink inside a Marlins ballpark, roof open, palm trees in the background. It's the first outdoor game in Florida history, and the Panthers' first outdoor game in 32 seasons.
The backdrop is new, but the franchise isn't new to big moments. Florida has reached three straight Stanley Cup Finals and won back-to-back titles, with the All-Star Game in the mix too.
Brad Marchand nailed the vibe after Thursday's skate. «There's a lot of excitement,» he said, pointing to how much «love for this game» has grown across Florida.
Brad Marchand and Florida Panthers make Miami hockey
As a fan, I love the spectacle, but I still want Florida to treat it like a playoff night.
Marchand has lived outdoor hockey before, and he's watching South Florida change in real time.
«You used to come down here and a lot of opposing teams would kind of take over the building and now it doesn't matter where you go, the fan support is unbelievable.» he said.
The numbers back him up, and they're not small. USA Hockey data used by the NHL shows Florida registration is up 49.63% since 1993-94, with 22,888 registered players in 2024-25, including 1,876 female players and 27 Division 1 high school teams.
Sam Reinhart sounded like a guy trying to remember to breathe.
«It's not every year you get an opportunity to go through something like this,» he said, adding, «I think you have to take it all in.»
Paul Maurice went full proud-hockey-dad, then gave the league its flowers.
«It just feels big,» he said, remembering «slush» ice in old Miami, then praising the NHL: «What an incredible show that's put on.»
And Miami is just the opening act, with Tampa hosting Bruins vs. Lightning outdoors on Feb. 1. Florida's not borrowing the spotlight anymore, it's building its own.