Panthers forward Anton Lundell speaks after practice on June 4. Take a deep breath, we’re about to dive into the deep end. The Florida Panthers did not practice on Thursday after skating each of the previous two. It’ll be their last day off before the start of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Florida held two spirited practices on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, ramping up their efforts to prepare for the challenges that the Edmonton Oilers will present in the championship series. The Oilers arrived in South Florida on Thursday afternoon, disembarking from a flight at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport’s executive terminal around 4 p.m. Connor McDavid and his teammates will hit the ice on Friday at Amerant Bank Arena for Stanley Cup Media Day. Florida will skate first, with both squads getting in one last full practice under their belts before the series begins on Saturday night. Unlike last season, the Panthers enter the Stanley Cup Final fully healthy. The Cats are confident that if they can play to their identity and stay out of the penalty box, they’ll be skating around with the Stanley Cup sometime in the next couple weeks. Keeping with the idea of Thursday being a day off, the NHL posted a video of Panthers General Manager Bill Zito and some of his family doing a little fishing during some recent down time. Zito has fallen in love with fishing since moving to South Florida with his family four years ago, often spending his free time on the water. The Panthers have seen plenty of success since Zito was hired in September of 2020. Florida has reached the playoffs in each season under Zito’s watch, getting all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive years. Now, for the third time in his four years on the job, Zito was named a finalist for the Jim Gregory Award given annually to the league’s top GM. You can check out the NHL’s video below: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo58bssZJ0U[/embed] LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Examining the Florida Panthers cases for Conn Smythe Trophy [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/examining-the-florida-panthers-cases-for-conn-smythe-trophy] Anthony Stolarz discusses life as backup goalie during Stanley Cup Final run [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/anthony-stolarz-discusses-life-as-backup-goalie-during-stanley-cup-final-run] Practice notebook: Panthers ramp up intensity, work on special teams as Stanley Cup Final nears [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/practice-notebook-panthers-ramp-up-intensity-work-on-special-teams-as-stanley-cup-final-nears] 'I love every one of you': Paul Maurice, several Panthers were mic'd up for Game 6 of ECF [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/i-love-every-one-of-you-paul-maurice-several-panthers-were-micd-up-for-game-6-of-ecf] Matthew Tkachuk provides update on hating Oilers comment, rivalry with Edmonton [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/matthew-tkachuk-provides-update-on-hating-oilers-comment-rivalry-with-edmonton] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
