Another First: Florida Panthers win NHL Presidents’ Trophy

It has been a season of firsts for the Florida Panthers.

On Thursday night, the team clinched yet another honor as it won the NHL Presidents’ Trophy which goes to the team with the most points at the end of a season.

Even with one game left, it will be the Panthers.

Not only does the team get a nice trophy for its case — as well as a banner for their arena in Sunrise — but the Panthers have assured themselves of home ice advantage throughout the entirety of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Florida laid claim to the title after beating the Senators 4-0 on Thursday night — with Colorado losing at home in a shootout to Nashville early Friday morning.

Nashville’s Matt Duchene, a teammate of Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky with Columbus in 2019, was the lone scorer in the shootout.

For daily coverage of the Florida Panthers, subscribe to Florida Hockey Now today!

This is the first time the Panthers have won the award and it goes with a number of honors the team has earned this season.

The Panthers are the highest-scoring team in the NHL and were first to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

Florida also tied an NHL record by starting its home season 11-0 and just recently set a franchise record with a 13-game winning streak.

The Panthers will be trying to avoid the so-called ‘Presidents’ Trophy’ curse. Since being established in 1986, only eight winners have ended up winning the Stanley Cup.

The last team to do it was the Chicago Blackhawks in the lockout-shortened 2013 season.

PANTHERS ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT MONTREAL CANADIENS 

• When: Friday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Bell Center, Montreal  
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida
• Radio: WQAM 560, SiriusXM
• Last season: Did not play
• All-time regular season series: Florida leads 51-48, 6 ties
• Season series — Florida leads 3-0: @Florida 5, Montreal 2 (Jan. 1); Florida 4, @Montreal 3 (March 24); @Florida 7, Montreal 4 (March 29)

END OF THE REGULAR SEASON