2015–16 Florida Panthers season

The 2015–16 Florida Panthers season was the 22nd season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 14, 1993. The Panthers' regular season began on October 10, 2015, against the Philadelphia Flyers with a 7–1 home win. The Panthers won the Atlantic Division but fell in six games in the opening round of the playoffs to the wild card entrant New York Islanders.

Standings

Schedule and results

Pre-season 2015 preseason game log: 3–3–0 (Home: 1–1–0; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 20 Florida 2–5 Nashville McKenna 15,432 0–1–0 2 September 20 Florida 3–2 Nashville OT Brittain 12,711 1–1–0 3 September 22 Dallas 2–3 Florida Luongo 5,504 2–1–0 4 September 25 Florida 1–4 Tampa Bay Montoya 16,226 2–2–0 5 September 27 Florida 4–2 Dallas Luongo 10,113 3–2–0 6 October 3 Tampa Bay 3–2 Florida Luongo 7,634 3–3–0

Regular season 2015–16 game log October: 5–4–2 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 2–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 10 Philadelphia 1–7 Florida Luongo 19,434 1–0–0 2 2 October 12 Florida 0–1 Philadelphia Luongo 19,769 1–1–0 2 3 October 13 Florida 4–1 Carolina Montoya 10,901 2–1–0 4 4 October 15 Buffalo 2–3 Florida Luongo 11,616 3–1–0 6 5 October 17 Dallas 4–2 Florida Luongo 12,834 3–2–0 6 6 October 20 Florida 2–3 Pittsburgh OT Luongo 18,471 3–2–1 7 7 October 22 Florida 2–3 Chicago Luongo 21,591 3–3–1 7 8 October 24 Florida 6–2 Dallas Montoya 18,532 4–3–1 9 9 October 27 Colorado 1–4 Florida Luongo 11,694 5–3–1 11 10 October 30 Boston 3–1 Florida Luongo 14,112 5–4–1 11 11 October 31 Washington 2–1 Florida OT Montoya 11,207 5–4–2 12 November: 5–5–2 (Home: 3–3–1; Road: 2–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 4 Florida 2–3 Anaheim SO Luongo 15,169 5–4–3 13 13 November 5 Florida 2–5 San Jose Montoya 15,525 5–5–3 13 14 November 7 Florida 1–4 Los Angeles Luongo 18,230 5–6–3 13 15 November 10 Calgary 3–4 Florida Luongo 11,242 6–6–3 15 16 November 12 Buffalo 3–2 Florida Luongo 11,271 6–7–3 15 17 November 14 Florida 5–4 Tampa Bay SO Luongo 19,092 7–7–3 17 18 November 16 Tampa Bay 0–1 Florida Luongo 12,067 8–7–3 19 19 November 19 Anaheim 3–1 Florida Luongo 10,947 8–8–3 19 20 November 21 NY Rangers 5–4 Florida OT Luongo 17,866 8–8–4 20 21 November 23 Los Angeles 3–1 Florida Luongo 10,997 8–9–4 20 22 November 27 NY Islanders 2–3 Florida SO Luongo 14,598 9–9–4 22 23 November 29 Florida 2–1 Detroit OT Luongo 20,027 10–9–4 24 December: 11–3–0 (Home: 5–1–0; Road: 6–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 1 Florida 3–1 St. Louis Luongo 15,395 11–9–4 26 25 December 3 Florida 2–1 Nashville Luongo 15,405 12–9–4 28 26 December 4 Florida 2–1 Columbus SO Montoya 14,162 13–9–4 30 27 December 6 Florida 2–4 New Jersey Luongo 13,643 13–10–4 30 28 December 8 Ottawa 4–2 Florida Luongo 11,571 13–11–4 30 29 December 10 Washington 1–4 Florida Montoya 12,810 14–11–4 32 30 December 12 Florida 1–3 Boston Luongo 17,565 14–12–4 32 31 December 15 Florida 5–1 NY Islanders Luongo 13,656 15–12–4 34 32 December 17 Florida 5–1 New Jersey Montoya 12,512 16–12–4 36 33 December 18 Florida 2–0 Carolina Luongo 10,511 17–12–4 38 34 December 20 Vancouver 4–5 Florida SO Luongo 13,459 18–12–4 40 35 December 22 Ottawa 1–2 Florida SO Luongo 14,538 19–12–4 42 36 December 27 Columbus 2–3 Florida Luongo 16,902 20–12–4 44 37 December 29 Montreal 1–3 Florida Luongo 19,822 21–12–4 46 January: 8–3–1 (Home: 5–1–0; Road: 3–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 38 January 2 NY Rangers 0–3 Florida Luongo 20,289 22–12–4 48 39 January 3 Minnesota 1–2 Florida OT Montoya 15,426 23–12–4 50 40 January 5 Florida 5–1 Buffalo Luongo 18,560 24–12–4 52 41 January 7 Florida 3–2 Ottawa Luongo 17,150 25–12–4 54 42 January 10 Florida 2–1 Edmonton Montoya 16,839 26–12–4 56 43 January 11 Florida 2–3 Vancouver OT Luongo 18,570 26–12–5 57 44 January 13 Florida 0–6 Calgary Luongo 18,702 26–13–5 57 45 January 17 Florida 1–3 Tampa Bay Luongo 19,092 26–14–5 57 46 January 18 Edmonton 4–2 Florida Montoya 14,897 26–15–5 57 47 January 22 Chicago 0–4 Florida Luongo 19,343 27–15–5 59 48 January 23 Tampa Bay 2–5 Florida Luongo 19,626 28–15–5 61 49 January 26 Toronto 1–5 Florida Luongo 14,585 29–15–5 63 February: 6–4–3 (Home: 4–2–2; Road: 2–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 50 February 2 Florida 5–2 Washington Montoya 18,506 30–15–5 65 51 February 4 Detroit 3–6 Florida Luongo 16,991 31–15–5 67 52 February 6 Pittsburgh 3–2 Florida OT Luongo 20,295 31–15–6 68 53 February 8 Florida 0–3 Detroit Montoya 20,027 31–16–6 68 54 February 9 Florida 7–4 Buffalo Luongo 18,837 32–16–6 70 55 February 12 St. Louis 5–3 Florida Montoya 13,904 32–17–6 70 56 February 13 Nashville 5–0 Florida Luongo 13,019 32–18–6 70 57 February 15 Pittsburgh 1–2 Florida SO Montoya 15,595 33–18–6 72 58 February 18 San Jose 2–1 Florida SO Montoya 13,019 33–18–7 73 59 February 20 Winnipeg 1–3 Florida Luongo 16,210 34–18–7 75 60 February 25 Arizona 2–3 Florida Luongo 13,134 35–18–7 77 61 February 27 Florida 3–4 Columbus SO Luongo 15,400 35–18–8 78 62 February 28 Florida 1–3 Minnesota Luongo 19,093 35–19–8 78 March: 8–6–1 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 5–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 63 March 1 Florida 3–2 Winnipeg Luongo 15,294 36–19–8 80 64 March 3 Florida 2–3 Colorado Luongo 16,194 36–20–8 80 65 March 5 Florida 1–5 Arizona Montoya 12,361 36–21–8 80 66 March 7 Boston 5–4 Florida OT Montoya 19,194 36–21–9 81 67 March 10 Ottawa 2–6 Florida Luongo 15,051 37–21–9 83 68 March 12 Philadelphia 4–5 Florida SO Luongo 19,404 38–21–9 85 69 March 14 Florida 2–3 NY Islanders Luongo 14,106 38–22–9 85 70 March 15 Florida 4–1 Montreal Montoya 21,288 39–22–9 87 71 March 17 Florida 4–1 Toronto Luongo 18,922 40–22–9 89 72 March 19 Detroit 5–3 Florida Luongo 20,817 40–23–9 89 73 March 21 Florida 2–4 NY Rangers Montoya 18,006 40–24–9 89 74 March 24 Florida 4–1 Boston Luongo 17,565 41–24–9 91 75 March 26 Florida 5–2 Tampa Bay Luongo 19,092 42–24–9 93 76 March 29 Toronto 5–2 Florida Luongo 16,724 42–25–9 93 77 March 31 New Jersey 2–3 Florida Montoya 15,803 43–25–9 95 April: 4–1–0 (Home: 2–0–0; Road: 2–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 78 April 2 Montreal 3–4 Florida Luongo 17,427 44–25–9 97 79 April 4 Florida 4–3 Toronto Montoya 18,846 45–25–9 99 80 April 5 Florida 4–1 Montreal Luongo 21,288 46–25–9 101 81 April 7 Florida 1–3 Ottawa Montoya 19,165 46–26–9 101 82 April 9 Carolina 2–5 Florida Luongo 18,434 47–26–9 103 Legend:

Playoffs 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs Eastern Conference First Round vs. (WC) New York Islanders: New York won 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 April 14 NY Islanders 5–4 Florida Luongo 17,422 0–1 2 April 15 NY Islanders 1–3 Florida Luongo 18,373 1–1 3 April 17 Florida 3–4 NY Islanders OT Luongo 15,795 1–2 4 April 20 Florida 2–1 NY Islanders Luongo 15,795 2–2 5 April 22 NY Islanders 2–1 Florida 2OT Luongo 20,247 2–3 6 April 24 Florida 1–2 NY Islanders 2OT Luongo 15,795 2–4 Legend:

Player stats Final stats

Skaters

Regular season Player 79 27 39 66 23 48 81 18 42 60 25 42 66 28 31 59 18 8 76 20 39 59 17 43 76 25 28 53 15 44 82 25 25 50 19 31 78 15 21 36 18 41 67 15 19 34 −8 41 82 6 25 31 31 26 ‡ 52 11 13 24 −4 30 66 2 15 17 17 90 74 1 16 17 8 51 64 6 7 13 7 36 † 19 6 5 11 0 10 58 6 5 11 −1 18 † 15 3 8 11 −2 2 64 2 7 9 3 49 53 5 2 7 −7 13 20 2 5 7 3 4 46 1 6 7 −2 18 20 3 2 5 −4 2 50 1 4 5 −2 80 25 1 4 5 −2 16 23 1 4 5 1 14 47 0 4 4 5 26 15 2 0 2 1 2 † 19 0 2 2 10 4 8 0 1 1 −1 2 3 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 −1 0 9 0 0 0 −1 2 7 0 0 0 −2 4 29 0 0 0 −3 24

Playoffs Player 6 4 4 8 7 0 5 2 2 4 6 2 6 1 3 4 5 4 6 1 3 4 4 4 6 1 3 4 5 4 6 2 1 3 −2 2 6 1 2 3 1 10 6 2 0 2 −3 0 6 0 2 2 −2 4 6 0 1 1 −3 0 6 0 1 1 −1 4 6 0 1 1 −2 4 6 0 1 1 −1 4 2 0 1 1 1 0 5 0 1 1 1 0 6 0 1 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 −1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 0 0 −2 2 3 0 0 0 −2 0 2 0 0 0 −1 2

Goaltenders Regular season Player 62 60 3602:51 35 19 6 141 2.35 1801 .922 4 0 2 4 25 22 1351:15 12 7 3 49 2.18 608 .919 0 0 0 2

Playoffs Player 6 6 438 2 4 15 2.05 227 .934 0 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Panthers. Stats reflect time with the Panthers only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Panthers only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Awards and honours

Awards

Regular season Player Award Awarded NHL All-Star game captain January 2, 2016 NHL All-Star game selection January 6, 2016 NHL All-Star game selection January 6, 2016 NHL Third Star of the Week February 8, 2016

Milestones

Regular season Player Milestone Reached 1st Career NHL Game October 10, 2015 C. Brickley 1st Career NHL Goal1st Career NHL Point October 13, 2015 400th Career NHL Game October 31, 2015 100th Career NHL Game November 19, 2015 100th Career NHL Game December 12, 2015

Transactions The Panthers were involved in the following transactions during the 2015–16 season:

Trades Date DetailsRef To New York IslandersMTL's 5th-round pick in 2015 To Florida Panthers5th-round pick in 2016 To Boston BruinsJimmy Hayes (rights) To Florida PanthersReilly SmithMarc Savard To Calgary Flames2nd-round pick in 20164th-round pick in 2018 To Florida PanthersJiri Hudler To Edmonton Oilersconditional 3rd-round pick in 2016 To Florida PanthersTeddy Purcell To Detroit Red Wings6th-round pick in 2017 To Florida PanthersJakub Kindl To Anaheim DucksBrandon Pirri To Florida Panthers6th-round pick in 2016 To Vancouver CanucksErik GudbransonNYI's 5th-round pick in 2016 To Florida PanthersJared McCann2nd-round pick in 20164th-round pick in 2016 To New Jersey DevilsMarc Savard2nd-round pick in 2018 To Florida PanthersPaul ThompsonGraham Black To New York Rangers6th-round pick in 2016Conditional 4th-round pick in 2017 To Florida PanthersKeith Yandle (negotiating rights) To Colorado AvalancheRocco Grimaldi To Florida PanthersReto Berra Notes Detroit to retain 15% ($720,000) of salary as part of trade. Conditional on Yandle signing with Panthers.

Free agents acquired Date Player Former team Contract terms(in U.S. dollars) Ref Mike McKenna Arizona Coyotes 2 years, $1.15 million Shane Harper Chicago Wolves 1 year, $575,000 Sena Acolatse Adirondack Flames 1 year, $575,000 Cameron Gaunce Texas Stars 1 year, $575,000 Brent Regner Chicago Wolves 2 years, $1.2 million Rob Flick Providence Bruins 1 year, $575,000 Dryden Hunt Moose Jaw Warriors entry-level contract Linus Hultstrom Djurgardens IF entry-level contract

Free agents lost Date Player New team Contract terms(in U.S. dollars) Ref Dan Ellis Washington Capitals 1 year, $650,000 Shane O'Brien Anaheim Ducks 1 year, $600,000 Scottie Upshall St. Louis Blues 1 year, $700,000 Brad Boyes Toronto Maple Leafs 1 year, $700,000

Claimed via waivers Player Former team Date claimed off waivers Ref

Lost via waivers Player New team Date claimed off waivers Ref

Lost via retirement Player Ref

Player signings Date Player Contract terms(in U.S. dollars) Ref Corban Knight 1 year, $750,000 Garrett Wilson 1 year, $675,000 Greg McKegg 1 year, $700,000 Lawson Crouse 3 years, entry-level contract Alex Petrovic 2 years, $2.1 million Quinton Howden 1 year, $850,500 John McFarland 1 year, $850,500 Jonathan Huberdeau 2 years, $6.5 million Aleksander Barkov 6 years, $35.4 million contract extension Shawn Thornton 1 year, contract extension Jayce Hawryluk entry-level contract Michael Downing entry-level contract Juho Lammikko 3 years, entry-level contract Jaromir Jagr 1 year, $4 million Erik Gudbranson 1 year, $3.5 million Sam Montembeault 3 years, entry-level contract Shane Harper 1 year

Draft picks

Below are the Florida Panthers' selections at the 2015 NHL entry draft, held on June 26–27, 2015 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.