Florida Panthers Tickets: Best NHL Value

Florida Panthers Tickets: Best NHL Value

Florida Panthers: The Best Bang for Your Buck

Ticket Prices Climb Across the NHL

Hockey’s recent rise in popularity in the US has had a largely positive effect on the sport, but it has also led to a noticeable increase in ticket prices league-wide. The average cost of a ticket rose to $62.18 for the 2015-16 season, an increase of about 4.4% over the previous year. The increase in ticket cost showed little correlation to each team’s place in the standings. Boston Bruins fans faced a 20% increase over the previous year’s ticket prices, despite their team narrowly missing the 2015 postseason, and the Toronto Maple Leafs remain the most expensive act in the league, with an average ticket price of $113.66, though they’ve reached the playoffs only once since the 2004-05 lockout. Flying in the face of this across-the-board inflation, the Florida Panthers lowered their ticket prices by 18.3% heading into the 2015-16 season. Despite their recent struggles, the Panthers’ roster for the 2015-16 season is an exciting mix of young talent and veteran skill, and at only $33.39 a ticket, Florida Panthers tickets are surely the best value in the league.

Why the 2015-16 Panthers Are Worth Watching

Anyone who likes rooting for the underdog has their eyes on Florida for the 2015-16 season. The team’s habitual struggles, punctuated by brief flashes of potential, give it a compelling backstory, and on paper, at least, the Panthers seem to have what it takes to make a triumphant return to the playoffs in 2016.

The Jaromir Jagr Effect

The Panthers are hopeful for veteran winger Jaromir Jagr’s first full season with the club. While the 43-year-old hasn’t had a 30-goal season since 2006-07, he has consistently produced around 20 goals per season since returning to the NHL in 2011, and his presence seems to bring out the best in his teammates. Florida acquired Jagr for the final 21 games of the 2014-15 season and went 12-7-2 with him in the lineup. His linemates saw the greatest boost to their game, with center Aleksander Barkov scoring 15 of his 36 points in the games following Jagr’s arrival. Second-line center Nick Bjugstad scored a career-high 43 points in the 2014-15 season and is on pace to exceed that in 2015-16.

A Stronger Defensive Effort

The Panthers also improved markedly on defense in the 2014-15 season, finishing 15th in goals allowed, compared to 24th in 2013-14. Part of this can be attributed to Roberto Luongo’s first full season as the starting netminder. The gold medal-winning goalie recorded a .921 save percentage on the season, putting him in the neighborhood of the Boston Bruins’ Tuukka Rask and the New York Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist. All of this adds up to a team that’s exciting to watch and can hold its own. Though they missed the 2015 playoffs, the Panthers had a regular-season home record of 21-13-7, meaning their fans got to watch more victories than defeats.

Why Panthers Tickets Cost Less

Of course, the relatively low price of Florida Panthers tickets likely has more to do with the team’s attendance struggles than its on-ice performance, though that is arguably a question of the chicken or the egg. The Panthers don’t have the storied history that keeps fans coming out in droves to see other habitual underperformers, like the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Florida’s attendance was the lowest in the league for the 2014-15 season, averaging just over 11,000 fans a game—less than half the average per-game attendance of the Chicago Blackhawks or Montreal Canadiens.

Deals Worth the Trip

While the cause of the affordable tickets may be disheartening, fans can benefit from the measures and deals put in place to draw more people. One recent promotion lets a group of four fans buy tickets, hot dogs, sodas, and parking for just under $20 a person. While Florida Panthers fans are the most likely to take advantage of these deals, the scheduling changes since the 2013 NHL realignment mean that every team in the league will visit Florida at least once during the year. Hockey fans of all loyalties who live within driving distance of Sunrise, Florida, may well find it worth the trip to take a weekend and see a game—and given the team’s continuing problems with getting people in the seats, the Panthers will probably be happy to see you, even if you’re wearing the away team’s jersey.