The History of the Florida Panthers and the Rats – Hockey Writer – The History of the Black Panthers
This article was originally published in April 2012.
With the Florida Panthers having a lot of success lately, a new generation of fans are experiencing one of the best traditions of hockey.
For older Panthers fans, the return of the Rats to Florida was a sore sight and led them to remember the magical run of the 1996 Panthers to the Stanley Cup final. However, for the younger generation, the story behind flying vermin may be needed.
The Origin of Florida Black Panther Rat
The story of the mouse can be traced back to October 8, 1995. A mouse appeared in the Panthers locker room at Old Miami Arena before playing against the Calgary Flames. Former Panthers captain Scott Mellanby jumped up and grabbed a stick and knocked the annoying rodent down on the wall. Later that night, Mellanby scored two goals before leading Panthers goalkeeper John Vanbiesbruck to quip, “He hit the mouse.”
As the legend progressed, the next night, a fan threw a plastic mouse on the ice. The next night, another rodent found themselves sliding on the playing surface. The tradition of South Florida hockey has been born, and the year of the rat is in full swing.
During that season, fans threw rats on the ice after each goal, led the Panthers to work with Orkin of the Worm Extermination Company and had soldiers clear the rink with men in Worm Extermination uniforms. Seeing the opponent's goalkeeper is arguably the toughest athlete in any sport, as the rats land under their basket. Miami Arena has become one of the most noisy and hostile people in the sport due to the new tradition of Black Panthers.
However, as the correlation of the panther gradually fades, so do the panther rats. Fans no longer throw them in the game, they seem to be just distant memories.
The revival of the Florida Black Panther Rat
But for whatever reason, anything will happen in 2012 and this group of Panthers. In recent memory, the team won the game and threw the mouse again. Call it a coincidence if you want, but the Rats’ return also coincides with the team’s return to the playoffs and even their first Southeast Division title.
The new ownership group has brought back a classic red sweater version that embraced the tradition and began selling plastic mice in the Atlantic center. It's obvious that the team has embraced the tradition too, and it's great to talk about the 1996 Cup and the fans who are involved again. After a key victory, many players even used rats as souvenirs.
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Believe it or not, but the Rats become the first-round playoff series against the New Jersey Devils. Flying rodents seem to have entered certain devil players, including Martin Brodeur. The NHL has asked the Panthers to stop selling mice in the arena after entering the ice during the game. Of course, the Panthers claim that these are due to the Devil’s fans, trying to give their team an edge. Currently, the team is asking fans to fall on the ice after the victory rather than during the game.
No matter what aspect you choose to believe, it’s hard to deny the importance of tradition to the fans of the Panthers. The reappearance of the Panther Rats and the team's success have revived the once sleepy fan base. Perhaps, if the Panthers continue to succeed, then young Panthers fans will finally have a wonderful memory of themselves.
