The Florida Panthers have dipped into their past to honor a franchise legend.
On Monday, Nov. 25, the club will officially unveil the Roger Neilson Memorial Press Box at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla. Neilson was the first-ever head coach in Panthers history and, in the club’s inaugural season, led the team to 33 wins and 83 points, finishing fourth in Jack Adams voting for NHL coach of the year.
“We are humbled and honored to dedicate the BB&T Center press box in Roger Neilson’s name,” Panthers president and CEO Michael Yormark said in a statement. “He is a hockey legend, Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee and our organization’s first head coach.”
Florida partnered with Roger’s House in making this announcement. Roger’s House is an eight-bed palliative care facility at The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, created in part by the Ottawa Senators Foundation.