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Florida Panthers
Overall: 7
Title track: T52
Ownership: 25
Coaching: 36
Players: 27
Fan relations: 9
Affordability: 6
Stadium experience: 53
Bang for the buck: 3
Change from last year: +41
15-29-38-47. Those aren't Powerball numbers; they're the win totals for the Panthers dating back to the 2012-13 season. Gerard Gallant has helped turn the Cats into winners again behind the stellar goaltending of Roberto Luongo, the ageless play of Jaromir Jagr, the stout defense of Aaron Ekblad and the youthful goal scoring of Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck, and Jonathan Huberdeau.
What's good
What if I told you that you could see a team eclipse 100 points for the first time in franchise history at the NHL's cheapest average ticket price? Interested? We thought so. You can see the Panthers play for just $33 on average (including concessions and parking, the average game cost is still just $60), even with the team winning the Atlantic Division last season. Major reasons for Florida's speedy climb up our rankings were its No. 6 affordability and No. 3 bang for the buck rankings. It's cheaper to buy a Panthers ticket than it is to park at a Bruins game -- a team that Florida bettered by 10 points last season. Last season, the Panthers also introduced a holiday package that included two tickets to three games, two shirts, a puck, an on-ice photo opportunity and two theme park passes for just $99. And if you were expecting a fall off the ice, look no further than the team's acquisition of defenseman Keith Yandle (47 points last year with the Rangers) to see just how serious they are.
What's bad
If there is a weak spot for the Panthers, it's the arena they play in. BB&T Center is responsible for the team's lowest ranking at 53rd overall (though that does represent a 27-spot jump from last year). The building itself is not even 20 years old, but perhaps in comparison to the family-friendly atmosphere of Amalie Arena up I-75, the Miami arena doesn't hold up. It might be part of the reason that the Panthers still rank 24th in the NHL in attendance -- it was only two short years ago that they set a franchise record for fewest tickets sold (7,311). It's hard to get excited about the stadium experience when half of the seats are empty. Still, attendance is trending up -- a 33.5 percent increase since 2014-15 -- so don't be surprised to see another climb for the Sunrise rink.
What's new
Obviously, a lot changed for the team to jump 41 spots in just a year. Coaching climbed 39 spots in Gallant's second season with the club, a pivotal reason for the sprint up the standings. In 2014, Florida's coaching rank was dead last at No. 122. Now it sits at 36th overall. The players also got a boost 38 spots to 27th overall. Luongo's social media presence was bettered only by his on-ice play, and the youth movement on the Florida roster was stabilized by the legendary Jaromir Jagr -- lots of fan favorites on this team. The biggest jump? Ownership climbed 49 places to 25th overall, as Vincent Viola has been crucial to the team's success since buying the Panthers in 2013.
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