The Tradition of Throwing Rats in Florida Panthers Games

When it comes to hockey games, seeing rats flying around the rink would usually be considered a negative thing. However, for fans of the Florida Panthers, plastic rats are a symbol of good luck for their team. The tradition of throwing plastic rats onto the ice started during the Panthers’ inaugural season in 1996, when forward Scott Mellanby killed a rat with his stick before scoring two goals in the team’s opening game. Goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck called Mellanby’s accomplishment a “rat trick,” and the season became known as the Year of the Rat.

Since then, Panthers fans have been throwing plastic rats onto the ice after their team scores a goal. The tradition continued throughout the Panthers’ run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, where they were unfortunately swept by the Colorado Avalanche. The NHL subsequently banned the act of throwing rats on the ice, citing delays required to clear the ice. However, plastic rats have made their way onto the ice at Panthers games over the years.

In 2007, Panthers alumni sold plastic rats to raise money for the Florida Panthers Foundation. In 2011-12, when the Panthers made the playoffs for the first time in a decade, plastic rats were once again thrown onto the ice. The team stopped selling plastic rats in the arena, but the tradition continued through the lean years that followed. In 2014, the team even introduced a secondary mascot named Viktor E. Ratt to keep the tradition alive.

The Panthers’ recent success, including three consecutive playoff berths, a Presidents’ Trophy win last season, and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final this season, has once again brought plastic rats to the forefront of Panthers games. Despite the ban on throwing rats on the ice, Panthers fans continue to find ways to incorporate the plastic rodents into their game-day rituals.

So, if you’re watching a Florida Panthers game and see plastic rats flying around, don’t be alarmed. It means something good is happening for the home team. The tradition of throwing plastic rats onto the ice may seem odd, but it has become a beloved part of Panthers lore and a symbol of good luck for the team.