The Florida Panthers joined the NHL in the early 1990's and have had a number of memorable playoff runs since then. The Panthers missed the post season in their first two seasons in the NHL, but then stormed onto the playoff landscape in 1996. Led by legendary Panthers players Brian Skrudland, Scott Mellanby, and John Vanbiesbrouck, the Panthers finished the season with 41 wins and were able to win three straight playoff series, including the Eastern Conference title. The conference championship sent the Panthers to their first ever Stanley Cup Finals. The 1996 Florida Panthers playoff team helped spread the Panthers brand around the country and built a foundation for future Panthers playoff runs.
While the Panthers have since failed to return to the Stanley Cup Finals, the BB&T Center is one of the best venues to catch an NHL playoff game at and Panthers pride is never on better display than when the team is competing in the Eastern Conference playoffs.