Florida already has locals in the NHL, and another wave is coming at the 2023 NHL draft.
While the Youngstown Phantoms weren't underdogs, there was something about their run to the USHL title this season that made me think of the Florida Panthers' playoff success: both teams played aggressive systems that stifled their opponents, and both teams had a goaltender playing out of his mind. The Panthers, of course, have Sergei Bobrovsky, while the Phantoms had 2023 NHL draft prospect Jacob Fowler - who just happens to be a Florida native himself.
As the Panthers prepare for their first Stanley Cup final since 1996, there should be more of a spotlight on the state and how it has grown as a hockey locale.
The Florida Jr. Panthers program already counts NHLers such as Jakob Chychrun and Shayne Gostisbehere as alums, while the Florida Alliance is set to have an excellent summer with two high-end talents available to be drafted and another already selected. Fowler played on the Alliance's U-16 team with Michigan Wolverines winger Gavin Brindley, a potential first-rounder, and Brindley's current teammate in Ann Arbor, New Jersey Devils second-rounder Seamus Casey.
"Those two guys are two of my best buddies, and I talk to them pretty much every day," Fowler said. "I played for the Alliance for eight years and had some of the best coaches and players I've ever played with. I enjoyed absolutely every second of it, and I'm always going to be a Florida Alliance alum."
Brindley's dad coached the team, which drew talent from all over the state - not an ideal situation, but one that at least allowed for solid competition.
"It's pretty tough with all the guys from all over the state," he said. "We had a couple kids from outside the state as well coming to play. So we didn't practise together during the week. We'd only practise together on the weekends, and you train in your own rink during the week, locally, and kind of work on your own skills. On the weekend, you come together, either practise three or four times that weekend or fly to Detroit or Chicago, Toronto, wherever it was, to play a tournament. I'm so grateful he did that for me and all the guys that played there. And we've had some high-end guys come out of there and a lot of guys still playing hockey now."
Brindley and Casey had a nice little homecoming this spring when Michigan made the Frozen Four, which was held in Tampa at Amalie Arena. And though the Wolverines lost to the eventual champs from Quinnipiac in the semifinal, it was a great storyline to have some local boys making good. Brindley grew up cheering for the Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins and, funny enough, Fowler too comes from a family with Bolts-Pens allegiances (hard to bet against Stamkos and Crosby, to be fair).
From a grassroots perspective, the Panthers now have a chance to increase the popularity of the sport on their side of the state after years of the Lightning going deep and inspiring the next generation.
"It's only going to get bigger with the success the Lightning have had and with what the Panthers are doing now," Fowler said. "Hockey is just going to keep getting bigger. For myself, Brindley and Casey, we're just a few guys coming out of Florida. There's a lot of talent still coming and some that have already cemented themselves as proud Florida alums."
In terms of numbers, Florida is in great shape already. USA Hockey counted nearly 19,000 registered players (all ages) in the state for 2021-22, putting it top-10 in the nation. If there is one particular area to focus on for the future, it's girls - in that cohort, participation is a little further down the rankings. But again, this season's long run by the Panthers - which could finish with the franchise's first-ever Cup championship - could go a long way in encouraging kids to pick up a stick and strap on some skates.
"Growing up, I played pretty much every sport," Brindley said. "And hockey was always my No. 1, but I did pretty much everything. Walking into the rink in flip-flops and shorts every single day, it was so much fun. I wanted to be there all the time. I didn't have to deal with the snow or bad weather or snow days or anything like that."
Now we wait to see what the Panthers can do in the final. Fowler led Youngstown to the USHL's Clark Cup with a beguiling .952 save percentage and 8-1 record en route to being named the playoffs' most outstanding player. Up in the NHL, Bobrovsky heads into the final as a very solid candidate for the Conn Smythe, and Fowler can relate to his fellow netminder's rare run.
"You just want to get hot at the right time," he said. "We did that and the Panthers are doing that now, so hopefully they have the same feeling we do now when their season is done."