The Florida Panthers unveiled their 30th-anniversary logo way back in July, well ahead of the start of this season. As I wrote at the time, the logo announcement didn’t mention anything about a jersey patch, so I assumed they wouldn’t be wearing the anniversary mark on their uniforms. And sure enough, when the season started, they didn’t wear an anniversary patch.
Until last night, that is. As you can see in the photo above, the anniversary patch suddenly appeared on the team’s jerseys for last night’s home game against the Kings. What was that about? Turns out it was the first of three “decade night” promotions that the team is holding — one for each decade of the team’s existence. Last night was “1990s Night,” so there was a lot of ’90s music in the arena and the first of three giveaway pucks. Here’s last night’s puck, followed by the other two and the dates that they’ll be given away:
The team will wear the anniversary patch for those subsequent two games, but not for any other games. Have any other teams worn an anniversary patch only in conjunction with a set of specified promotion games? If so, I can’t think of them.
Also, since the Panthers made their on-ice debut in 1993, it seems odd that all three of these “decade games” are taking place in 2024. Wouldn’t you want at least one of them to fall in 2023, to mark the actual anniversary year? Weird.
(My thanks to Phil for bringing this one to my attention.)
That IS weird. Someone just thought “30 years = 3 different decades”?
I was born in 69′. So although I am in my fifties, I have lived in seven different decades.
Using that same math, my mom, born in 1929, has lived in 11 different decades.
It is crazy to me that the Panthers have the modern leaping cat logo and don’t use it on their uniform.
It really should be their primary logo and on the front of the jerseys.
link
Paul, the link for “As I wrote at the time” does not take you to the original article but to a photo of the logo as it appears on the rink. Not sure if that was your intention.
THanks! Link now fixed.
Posted this on Twitter (I will never call it X), but I’ll add it here too. As you know, the Panthers used two different jumping panther logos in their history – one with and one without the broken stick. What doesn’t make sense is the broken stick logo was introduced in 1998 on the navy alts – it’s not 30 years old! Being that I have both navy jerseys which featured both logos (2003 saw the navy become the home jersey and the red become the alt, and they switched logos so the broken stick was on the red), this seems like a huge detail that the Panthers missed.
TREVOR!
I’m still alive, Phil! I stop by and read all the time, but I have less to say. LOL
I don’t think we should assume the Panthers meant the broken-stick logo to represent 30 years ago. If the patch is supposed to represent 30 years of history, then any logo from that period should be appropriate, right? And putting it on the 1990s ceremonial puck is also fine, since the logo was used in the ’90s.
Then why not use their current logo if any logo can be used?
The puck says “30th anniversary exclusive” as well. You’re not getting the benefit of the doubt here. It’s not “30 years of Panthers hockey” – it’s very explicitly “30th anniversary”. If you’re celebrating ’90s Night with a puck, maybe choose a logo you wore most of the time in the ’90s, not one that appeared on the alternate jerseys for two seasons (meaning it was worn 32 times in the 1990s).
C’mon. I appreciate yoga, but that’s a stretch. LOL
Nah, I think you’re the one that’s stretching it. If it was “1993 Night”, then fine. But I think there’s plenty of room in the phrase “30th anniversary” for all 30 of those seasons to be included. (And before anyone comes at me that this is their 31st season, remember they lost one due to a lockout.) They probably just picked a logo from their past that they thought looked cool and made for a nice patch.
I mean, if you take it COMPLETELY literally, then their 30th anniversary is 2023 and only 2023, so they should only be using their 2023 logo. And that’s obviously not what’s meant to be implied.
I love commentary on uniforms, but there comes a point where it feels like people are trying too hard to complain ;-)
I’ll also add, as long as we’re being super technical, the Florida Panthers franchise actually started in 1992. But I understand why they wouldn’t expect the average fan to know that.
For some reason, I can’t reply to the last comment. LOL
Anyway, I went digging deeper, Daniel, and it turns out that the 1993 logo set DID include the broken stick as seen here –> link
In all of their off-ice merchandise, the broken stick logo was used. It was on programs (link), cases of beer (link), and on all their inaugural year promotions (link). It seems the only place they didn’t use it was on their jerseys!
So… in short, it’s not a stretch, it seems. As a Canadian, we only got to see the Panthers on the ice, so I don’t remember the broken stick logo until 1998. The Panthers, though, used it the entire time they were in existence!
I remember that the Capitals had a 35th anniversary patch (not exactly a huge milestone) but only wore it on their jerseys a handful of times that season
Aha! According to capsjerseys.com the 35th patch was only worn ONE game and we’re auctioned off. Perhaps more interesting though: “During the 1998-99 season, the Capitals wore a 25th Anniversary patch for only about 4 games. It was worn on the front of the right shoulder of their black alternate jerseys and apparently was not given the OK by the NHL and had to be removed.”
Once, in fact, Jess.
“The Washington Capitals will be wearing a special, one-game-only set of red jerseys containing a unique 35th season commemorative patch when they take on the Atlanta Thrashers Friday, Feb. 5 at Verizon Center.”
Coincidentally, there was a blizzard heading towards DC that night, and the auction for those 35th anniversary jerseys was moved to March 6 against the Rangers. They never actually wore them against the Thrashers on Feb 5.
“Due to the impending heavy snowstorm, the Capitals and MeiGray have postponed the 35th season commemorative patch celebration night and auction until SATURDAY, MARCH 6, when the Caps play the NY Rangers at Verizon Center.”
You can see them in the game that night link.
“Have any other teams that worn an anniversary patch only in conjunction with a set of specified promotion games?”
-edit: drop “that”
THanks. Fixed.