{"id":104423,"date":"2026-01-03T16:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T16:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/104423\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T16:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T16:04:09","slug":"hockey-was-already-a-big-deal-in-florida-outdoor-games-might-spark-even-more-growth-of-the-game-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/104423\/","title":{"rendered":"Hockey was already a big deal in Florida. Outdoor games might spark even more growth of the game"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPanthers forward Brad Marchand remembers a few times when he and the Boston Bruins would play games in the state of Florida and be impressed by what they were hearing from the crowds.Those fans were rooting … for the Bruins.It\u2019s not remotely close to being like that anymore.The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning have finished atop the hockey world four times in the last six seasons \u2014 the Stanley Cup is basically a Sunshine State resident now \u2014 and the growth of hockey all across the state, from youth to adult levels, is well documented. And the outdoor games in the state, one Friday in Miami (the Rangers won, 5-1) and the next one that\u2019s coming next month in Tampa, only figure to keep the momentum going.\u201cThe amount of love that has grown for this game here is pretty incredible,\u201d said Marchand, who has often raved about where hockey is headed in Florida since he came to the Panthers last year. \u201cYou used to come down here and a lot of opposing teams would kind of take over the building. And now it just doesn\u2019t matter where you go \u2014 the fan support is unbelievable, and this is just going to add to it. The two outdoor games that we play here, between here and Tampa, are just going to add more excitement, more love for the game.\u201dAnd that\u2019s exactly what the NHL wanted, of course. It could play these outdoor games anywhere and draw big viewership numbers, sold-out crowds and celebrated the sport appropriately. But it finally chose to give the Sunshine State a shot.The latest: Sports coverage from WPBF 25 NewsA challenge, for certain. But so far, so good. And the Panthers \u2014 the back-to-back reigning Cup champions \u2014 have gone from a franchise dogged by constant rumors of moving to being perhaps the hottest ticket in town.\u201cJust go to their practice facility and see what they\u2019ve done to the War Memorial in Fort Lauderdale. It\u2019s simply incredible,\u201d NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday night in a televised interview on TNT from loanDepot Park, the baseball stadium where the Panthers played the New York Rangers. \u201cAnd the results speak for themselves. They have a great fan base down here in South Florida. Selling out this building was not an issue at all. We could have probably sold it out if it was twice as big.\u201dThe impact of Friday\u2019s game will be felt in parts of Miami for a long time. Students at a downtown Miami high school \u2014 100 were guests of the NHL for the Panthers-Rangers game \u2014 will receive a synthetic ice hockey rink next week, a gift from the league. Hockey equipment is coming as well, and students will eventually have the chance to learn to skate and play on an outdoor rink that mimics the feel of real ice without a need for maintenance or expensive upkeep.In time, the score of the Rangers\u2019 win probably be forgotten. The NHL\u2019s hope is that the game \u2014 or at least the impact \u2014 will be remembered.\u201cLook at the two teams that are in Florida \u2014 Tampa and the Panthers. They\u2019re two of the better teams in the league right now with the teams that they\u2019ve assembled and put together,\u201d Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. \u201cI think that can only help the influence down here in this region of the country. I can only imagine the next generation of young hockey players that will come out of southern Florida because of the impact that these teams and these individual players are having on the next generation.\u201dGet the latest sports updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tMIAMI \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Panthers forward Brad Marchand remembers a few times when he and the Boston Bruins would play games in the state of Florida and be impressed by what they were hearing from the crowds.<\/p>\n

Those fans were rooting … for the Bruins.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not remotely close to being like that anymore.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"MIAMI,<\/p>\n

\n\t\tGetty ImagesJamie Sabau\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 02: Pyrotechnics during pre-game ceremonies before the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic game between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park on January 02, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Sabau\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning have finished atop the hockey world four times in the last six seasons \u2014 the Stanley Cup is basically a Sunshine State resident now \u2014 and the growth of hockey all across the state, from youth to adult levels, is well documented. And the outdoor games in the state, one Friday in Miami (the Rangers won, 5-1) and the next one that\u2019s coming next month in Tampa, only figure to keep the momentum going.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"MIAMI,<\/p>\n

\n\t\tGetty ImagesJamie Sabau\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 02: A general view of game action during the third period of the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic game between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers at loanDepot park on January 02, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Sabau\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe amount of love that has grown for this game here is pretty incredible,\u201d said Marchand, who has often raved about where hockey is headed in Florida since he came to the Panthers last year. \u201cYou used to come down here and a lot of opposing teams would kind of take over the building. And now it just doesn\u2019t matter where you go \u2014 the fan support is unbelievable, and this is just going to add to it. The two outdoor games that we play here, between here and Tampa, are just going to add more excitement, more love for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s exactly what the NHL wanted, of course. It could play these outdoor games anywhere and draw big viewership numbers, sold-out crowds and celebrated the sport appropriately. But it finally chose to give the Sunshine State a shot.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"MIAMI,<\/p>\n

\n\t\tGetty ImagesJaylynn Nash\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 02: A general view of atmosphere during the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic game between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers at loanDepot park on January 02, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The latest: Sports coverage from WPBF 25 News<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\"MIAMI,<\/p>\n

\n\t\tGetty ImagesBen Jackson\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 02: New York Rangers and Florida Panthers fans react during the third period of the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic game between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park on January 02, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ben Jackson\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

A challenge, for certain. But so far, so good. And the Panthers \u2014 the back-to-back reigning Cup champions \u2014 have gone from a franchise dogged by constant rumors of moving to being perhaps the hottest ticket in town.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust go to their practice facility and see what they\u2019ve done to the War Memorial in Fort Lauderdale. It\u2019s simply incredible,\u201d NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday night in a televised interview on TNT from loanDepot Park, the baseball stadium where the Panthers played the New York Rangers. \u201cAnd the results speak for themselves. They have a great fan base down here in South Florida. Selling out this building was not an issue at all. We could have probably sold it out if it was twice as big.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\"MIAMI,<\/p>\n

\n\t\tGetty ImagesJamie Sabau\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 02: A general view of young hockey players playing on the auxiliary rink during the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic game between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park on January 02, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Sabau\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The impact of Friday\u2019s game will be felt in parts of Miami for a long time. Students at a downtown Miami high school \u2014 100 were guests of the NHL for the Panthers-Rangers game \u2014 will receive a synthetic ice hockey rink next week, a gift from the league. Hockey equipment is coming as well, and students will eventually have the chance to learn to skate and play on an outdoor rink that mimics the feel of real ice without a need for maintenance or expensive upkeep.<\/p>\n

In time, the score of the Rangers\u2019 win probably be forgotten. The NHL\u2019s hope is that the game \u2014 or at least the impact \u2014 will be remembered.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at the two teams that are in Florida \u2014 Tampa and the Panthers. They\u2019re two of the better teams in the league right now with the teams that they\u2019ve assembled and put together,\u201d Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. \u201cI think that can only help the influence down here in this region of the country. I can only imagine the next generation of young hockey players that will come out of southern Florida because of the impact that these teams and these individual players are having on the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Get the latest sports updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Panthers forward Brad Marchand remembers a few times when he and the Boston Bruins would play games in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":104424,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[54115,28,30,29,8597,4386,54113,5033,123,54116,5691,54114,21421,54117,914,54118,135,11273],"class_list":{"0":"post-104423","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-florida","8":"tag-few-time","9":"tag-florida","10":"tag-florida-headlines","11":"tag-florida-news","12":"tag-friday","13":"tag-hockey","14":"tag-hockey-was-already-a-big-deal-in-florida-outdoor-games-might-spark-even-more-growth-of-the-game","15":"tag-impact","16":"tag-miami","17":"tag-more-growth","18":"tag-nhl","19":"tag-outdoor-game","20":"tag-panthers","21":"tag-rangers","22":"tag-state","23":"tag-sunshine-state-resident","24":"tag-tampa","25":"tag-team"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104423"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104423\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}