How Many NHL Teams are in Florida?
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As of the 2019-20 NHL season, there are three teams in Florida: the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and the newly formed expansion team, the Seattle Kraken.
NHL in Florida
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, currently comprising 31 teams: 24 in the United States and 7 in Canada. Of the 31 teams, 18 are located in the U.S.A while 13 are in Canada. But how many NHL teams are in Florida?
NHL teams in Florida
National Hockey League currently has two teams located in the state of Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers. Tampa Bay has been home to an NHL team since 1992, when they were first established as an expansion team. The Florida Panthers first took to the ice in 1993 as an expansion team.
NHL teams in other states
Despite what many people think, the NHL isn’t just a league for Canadian teams. In fact, there are a number of teams located in the United States, including several in warm weather states such as Florida. As of the 2019-2020 season, there are three NHL teams located in Florida – the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Anaheim Ducks (who play their home games in Orlando).
Of these three teams, the Tampa Bay Lightning are by far the most successful, having won the Stanley Cup in 2020. The Florida Panthers have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals once before, in 1996, but they were ultimately defeated by the Colorado Avalanche. The Anaheim Ducks have also been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice, winning once in 2007.
NHL teams in Florida
There are currently two NHL teams in Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers. The Lightning have been in Tampa since 1992, while the Panthers have been in South Florida since 1993.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The Lightning have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. The team is often referred to as the Bolts, and the nickname was used on their former third jerseys from 2003 to 2007.
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team’s local broadcasting rights have been held by Fox Sports Florida since 1996. The Panthers began play in the 1993–94 NHL season.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of theleague’s Pacific Division. Since their inception, the Ducks have played their home games at Honda Center.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Kings began play in 1967 as an expansion team along with the Minnesota North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Sharks began play in 1991 as an expansion team and won the Stanley Cup in 2016.
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the NHL. The Panthers have played their home games at the BB&T Center since 1998.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the NHL. The Lightning were founded in 1992 and began play at Expo Hall in Tampa’s Tampa Bay St. Petersburg area, before moving to Amalie Arena in 1996.