The Florida Panthers are using an unusual, and somewhat mean, strategy to block Toronto Maple Leafs fans from getting access to tickets for the two teams’ Round 2 games in the Sunshine State.
The Florida Panthers are still basking in the afterglow of making shocking NHL history in their opening series of the 2023 NHL Playoffs. The team entered this year’s postseason with the unenviable task of having to take on a dominant Boston Bruins squad in their opening series. However, they did not let that impressive hype deter them one bit.
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After losing three of the first four games of the series — including a 6-2 blowout loss at home in Game 4 — the Florida Panthers stunned the sports world by winning the next three and sending the Bruins home early after breaking the NHL regular-season record for points.
The Panthers are sure to have a great deal of confidence heading into their Round 2 matchup with another Eastern Conference powerhouse in the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, it seems the organization is going to unusual lengths to make sure the legion of fans that support the Leafs have a difficult time getting seats for games inside the FLA Live Arena.
Florida Panthers record (’22-’23): 42-32-8, 92 points
It was revealed Monday morning that the Florida Panthers were restricting non-United States residents from being able to purchase tickets during the first 24 hours of sales, which opened yesterday at 11 AM ET. However, fans in any Canada can get around that harsh move and buy tickets on secondary markets.
The move isn’t completely shocking. The Toronto Maple Leafs have some of the best fans in the NHL and they are known to pack opposing team arenas. Florida sports fans have never had a reputation for reliably filling up venues for their sports teams, even during the playoffs.
The Maple Leafs had the fifth-best attendance numbers in the NHL this season while the Florida Panthers were among the bottom 10 in 2022-2023.