A Panthers fan since day one, Imber is enjoying Florida growing into a Cup contending team as much as anyone
Andrew Imber has seen a lot of hockey inside FLA Live Arena.
The Florida Panthers official in-area public address announcer has been the voice of the Sunrise hockey barn for nearly a decade, but he's been a fan of the team for much longer.
Imber has had a front row seat for some tough years in the franchise's history, but he's also been there for the ongoing turnaround.
Florida's current regime, led by owner Vincent Viola, President Matthew Caldwell, General Manager Bill Zito and his front office staff, and Head Coach Paul Maurice, has taken a team that spent years mired in mediocrity and transformed it into a perennial playoff team and now, a Stanley Cup contender.
As much fun as its been for Florida fans to enjoy the team's longtime coming turnaround, imagine being the person who got to announce every goal scorer and lead the arena in a "Pantherrrrrrrrrrrs…..goooooooooal" cheer.
The Hockey News caught up with Imber this week and asked him about the thrill of working the Panthers playoff run that went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
THE HOCKEY NEWS – First off, let's remind everyone…how long have you been the Panthers PA voice and how long have you been a Panthers fan?
ANDREW IMBER – I just finished year number eight behind the Panthers microphone (346 total games) and have been a fan of the franchise since day one. I went to the Miami Arena for my first game in 1993 and never looked back.
THN – Prior to becoming the voice, do you have any favorite memories from attending Panthers games?
AI – Before I was the announcer, I was a season ticket holder for the Panthers. My favorite memory before taking the job was probably the 2012 playoff battle with New Jersey. I was at every single home game, and also interned for the team that season.
THN – When things switch from the regular season to the playoffs, the vibe changes for everyone in the building, from the players and coaches to the ushers and ticket takers. How much do you notice the difference once the playoffs arrive?
AI – The playoffs is an entirely different animal. You can tell from the minute the doors open, and the fans fill up the building even for just warm-ups. The intro videos become more dramatic. It’s all about building the atmosphere to different fever pitches throughout the night. The energy of a playoff game is honestly the main reason why I do what I do. It’s what I live for. The regular season is all about just getting in and getting to experience those moments.
THN – You've had some big calls before (Jaromir Jagr breaking records comes to mind) but does anything compare with the Stanley Cup Final?
AI – Nope. I announced Jagr moving into second place all time in NHL points, and I announced the Skills Competition and All-Star Game earlier this season. The Stanley Cup was the first time I felt that nervous since my first season on the job. You know how many ears are on you, both in person and on television. You want to nail every single word. Everything is that much bigger. The intros feel like their own special event. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.
THN – How cool was it to hear yourself on the TV broadcasts when you did the Stanley Cup Final introductions?
AI – Honestly, I recorded the national broadcast of every single home game. It never gets old, and I never take a second of this for granted. It’s still cool to me when I hear myself in the background during a national intro. I still love when the big broadcasts throw to me by name. I know there are a lot of people from my youth who are still blown away by where I am. It’s all still surreal.
THN – What were some of your favorite moments or occurrences that happened during the playoff run?
AI – There are really too many to count. Every single overtime winner was magical. I remember where I was, who I was with, and which people I hugged in each of those moments. Matthew Tkachuk scoring the winner with seconds left in the Carolina series was my favorite moment during the run, with Swaggy’s (Carter Verhaeghe’s) OT winner against Vegas a very close second. Also, when a real rat ran by our back room during quadruple overtime against Carolina, that was a moment where it all felt very meant to be.
Thank you to Andrew for sharing his experiences and feelings from this unique perspective with us.