Panthers, Heat Make South Florida a Winter Wonderland

While reviewing last year’s columns it dawned on me – whether by intention or accident – that a certain amount of negativity had crept into my writing. And that’s unfortunate. Because as a wise man once observed, “I read the front pages to see of man’s failures; I look to the sports pages to see his successes.” With that thought in mind, let’s find some rays of athletic sunshine in the Sunshine State. And you really don’t have to look too far, just check out the winter sports teams which grace our South Florida landscape. First up, your Florida Panthers.

For years, really since their inception in the 1993- 94 season, the Men on Ice have been firmly planted as the least popular of the four major professional sports in town. It’s not all their fault since South Florida was never known as a hockey hotbed (primarily because the only ice you can find are in the drinks on Las Olas Boulevard), but the team always made an effort to give the fans a good value. True, their lack of playoff success has been frustrating – one series win in over 20 years – but that disappointment seems to have permanently changed the last few years. Despite losing former head coach Joel Quenneville to a sex scandal (from his prior days with the Chicago Blackhawks), interim coach Andrew Brunette has done a marvelous job of molding together a fear some offensive unit, where all four forward lines can score. Lead by centers Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov and premier defenseman Aaron Ekblad, the Panthers have, at the time of this writing, the league’s best record.

Their main rival, the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning, have been vanquished in early-season meetings, but it’s a long season, and the biggest question mark still remains in goals, where high-profile free agent Sergei Bobrovsky has yet to come through when it counts in the playoffs. But that reservation aside, keep a close eye on this squad, as they have all the ingredients to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Our other winter team, the Heat of Miami (or the Men in Shorts), are currently sporting the third best records in the Eastern Conference, and lead the Southeast Division. Off-season acquisitions Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris are filling in nicely, and despite a rash of early-season injuries, the team is playing excellent defense, shooting lights out, and basically embodying the traits you’ve come to expect from South Florida’s most successful franchise.

So buckle up sports fans and don’t despair – these long winter nights may yet yield a promising springtime surprise in not one, but two, sports.

Game on!