2025 Florida Panthers Training Camp

End of an Era? Panthers Open Preseason Today with Nashville Doubleheader

Published

4 months ago

September 21, 2025

The Florida Panthers and the Nashville Predators open up the preseason on Sept. 25, 2023, in Sunrise. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators hold their annual preseason doubleheader today on Music Row but is this the end of the road?

Next season, the NHL is changing how it handles training camp and the preseason.

This year, the Panthers play seven preseason games — including two today in Nashville.

Next year, every team will play a grand total of two preseason games with the regular season expanding to 84 games.

Will the Nashville Panthers doubleheader survive?

Maybe, but probably not.

The Panthers and Predators have held a day-night doubleheader to kick off the preseason every year since 2011 — save for 2012 when there was a lockout, and in 2021 when there were no exhibition games.

The games alternate between the two cities.

Both organizations dig the two games because they get the bulk of their training camp attendees into a game on the same day.

Some teams will split up their teams and play on the same night only in different cities.

By playing both games at one site on the same day, the hockey operations and coaching staff get a good look at everyone at once.

The Panthers, at least lately, have held out most of their regulars for the doubleheader and that will continue today.

Coach Paul Maurice has kept his veteran players off the ice for the first week of practices although they will join later this week in Fort Lauderdale.

As for today?

It is all about the players who are trying to make a name for themselves.

“So, you get into these exhibition games where you get to see some guys against bigger, stronger, faster men,” Maurice said on Saturday. “You’ll get to see some players.”