With the 2025 NHL Prospects Showcase in Wesley Chapel, FL all wrapped up, how would you measure the success of the event?
The three day on-ice battles featuring rookies from the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, and Carolina Hurricanes were a lot of fun.
The local AdventHealth Center Ice had four full ice sheets and a mini rink, a full-scale restaurant, and a hockey store. It’s a spacious structure that easily hosts various hockey and figure skating tournaments all year long. Last NHL season, the Philadelphia Flyers stayed a few days in Tampa after their game against the Lightning and practiced in Wesley Chapel. So, it’s a great option. The only problem is capacity. At least, the event was free to attend.
Fans miss hockey. So, all Lightning games were packed with people who literally had no place to sit or stand, and the crowd was mixing with the NHL scouts, managers, photographers, and players. The Battle for Florida, the Panthers versus the Lightning, was a huge success. Kids were cheering, red and blue jerseys merged in one colorful piece, and rookies were pumped up on the ice.
Three Stanley Cup finals and back-to-back championships later, it’s clear that the entire Panthers organization, including the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, follows one system – hard forechecking. The Saturday night masterpiece between the Cats and Bolts rookies were fast-paced, with intense battles, breakaways, chirping, and gloves dropping.
Kirill Gerasimyuk, a 22-year-old newly signed rookie goalie, admitted that it was a fun game. “Everything is so much faster over here, lots of battles. Exciting hockey,” he said after the tournament. The Panthers lost 3-2 but energy-wise, the results didn’t matter. Fans were thrilled to experience the on-ice fireworks and cheer on the Sunshine State derby. Both Florida rookie teams finished the showcase with a 2-1 record.
After two gamedays, all teams had a chance to spend some time off-ice focusing on team-building activities and dinners.
Lightning and Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper attended games on Friday and Saturday. GM Julien BriseBois was in attendance for the entire tournament. With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, they have a busy season ahead of them. Paul Maurice or Rod Brind’Amour were nowhere to be found, though. Predators GM Barry Trotz patiently evaluated his prospects over the three days.
For the players, it was an excellent opportunity to gain confidence, work on some chemistry, and build future rivalries before the primary NHL and AHL camps open. Fans finally had a chance to breathe life into hockey and take pictures with legends like Cooper and Patric Hornqvist.
What’s next for the Florida teams?
Panthers @ Predators, Sept. 21, 3:00 pm
Lightning @ Hurricanes, Sept. 22, 7:00 pm
Panthers @ Lightning, Sept. 30, 7:00 pm, in Orlando
Lightning training camp opens on Wednesday and the Panthers open on Thursday.