Florida is known for many things – its beautiful sandy beaches filled with spring breakers, alligators cruising the Everglades, big-time college football in Tallahassee and Gainesville and, of course, baseball’s Spring Training from Sarasota to Tampa. But for much of its history, hockey was overlooked in the Sunshine State. With its hot, humid climate, Florida didn’t exactly scream “hockey haven” like the northern U.S. or Canada.

That began to change in the early 1990s when the NHL took a risk, awarding expansion franchises to the state – the Tampa Bay Lightning arrived in 1992 and the Florida Panthers were formed a year later. There were early flashes of success, most notably, the Panthers’ surprising run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, though they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche. Tampa Bay would bring Florida its first Stanley Cup in 2004, defeating the Calgary Flames in a thrilling seven-game series.

But hockey success wasn’t limited to the NHL. In 2012, the Florida Everblades of the ECHL captured their first Kelly Cup, defeating the Las Vegas Wranglers in five games. The Lightning made another deep run in 2015, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals again before falling in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks.

The beginning of the 2020s marked a new era of hockey dominance in Florida. In 2020, the Lightning conquered the Covid-19 playoff bubble, hoisting their second Stanley Cup after beating the Dallas Stars in six games in Edmonton. They didn’t wait long to raise another banner as the Bolts repeated as champions in 2021, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 4–1 in a rare interconference Final due to temporary Covid-19 realignment..

In 2022, the Lightning reached their third straight Finals but fell to the Colorado Avalanche in six games. Still, hockey success continued across the state. That same year, the Everblades won their second Kelly Cup, defeating the Toledo Walleye in five games.

Meanwhile, 115 miles away in Sunrise, the Panthers were building something special. After years of postseason struggles, Florida broke through by winning their first playoff series since their 1996 Finals run. In 2023, they barely snuck into the playoffs thanks to a late-season loss by the Pittsburgh Penguins. What followed was a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Though they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games, it was clear that the Cats were back.

And it wasn’t all bad news that year – back in Estero, the Everblades swept the Idaho Steelheads to win their third Kelly Cup and second in a row.

In 2024, the Panthers returned with unfinished business. After building a 3–0 series lead over the Edmonton Oilers, they let the Oilers even the series only to clinch their first-ever Stanley Cup in Game 7, giving South Florida its first taste of Lord Stanley.

That same year, the Everblades made history defeating the Kansas City Mavericks in five games and becoming the first ECHL team to win three consecutive Kelly Cups. It marked the first time two different Florida-based franchises won their respective league championships in the same season.

The magic didn’t stop there. Although the Everblades fell short of a fourth straight title in 2025, losing to the Trois-Rivières Lions in the conference finals, the Panthers carried the torch. They reached their third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and defeated the Oilers again, this time in six games, earning back-to-back titles, just four years after their in-state rivals, the Lightning, had done the same.

Remarkably, this marked six consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances by a Florida-based team. Whether the streak continues remains to be seen, but Florida’s place at the center of the hockey world is undeniable.

The 2025-26 season will reinforce that status. For the first time, the Sunshine State will host outdoor NHL games. On January 2, loanDepot park in Miami – home of MLB’s Miami Marlins – will host the Winter Classic between the Panthers and the New York Rangers. Then, on February 1, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa – home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers – will host a Stadium Series matchup between the Lightning and the Boston Bruins.

What started as a novel – some might say risky – experiment over three decades ago has turned into something extraordinary. Over the past half-decade, the Sunshine State has not only embraced hockey but it has become the epicenter of hockey greatness.