The start of the Florida Panthers season is now a week away. However this season will look a lot different from the past seasons. This year there are 4 new divisions with 7-8 teams and they will only play other teams in that division. Also, this year due to COVID, various AHL affiliate teams have opted out of the season. One of those teams were the Charlotte Checkers, the Florida Panthers affiliate. So with the season so close the Panthers were in a bit of a panic. However, on Wednesday afternoon, the team announced they will share an AHL affiliate with Tampa Bay, the Syracuse Crunch.
Details
Yesterday Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois and Panthers general manager Bill Zito jointly announced they had formed a partnership. Both teams will use the Syracuse Crunch, the usual affiliate of the Lightning.
“From the Tampa Bay Lightning perspective, the 2020-21 AHL season is about providing a safe and steady place for our players to train, practice and play some games,” BriseBois said.
“We are excited and honored to work with our neighbors, the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Syracuse Crunch organization. It is a unique chance to work in tandem with our cross-state rivals in a collaborative effort to provide the necessary environment for our prospects to train and compete in the 2020-21 AHL season,” Zito said.
“Our priority during the 2020-21 season is to give our players the opportunity to develop in a safe and competitive atmosphere,” Crunch General Manager Stacy Roest said.
As part of the partnership, the Panthers will be able to train, practice and play Crunch players. However the coaching staff for the Crunch will remain the same. Head coach Ben Groulx will remain head coach in Syracuse.
It is very nice to see two Florida teams and rivals come together in these difficult and hard times!