2021–22 Florida Panthers season
The 2021–22 Florida Panthers season was the 28th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established in 1993. Head coach Joel Quenneville returned to coach his third season with the team. The Panthers began the season 3–0–0 for the second time in team history in as many years.
| 2021–22 Florida Panthers | |
|---|---|
Presidents' Trophy winners | |
Atlantic Division champions | |
| Division | 1st Atlantic |
| Conference | 1st Eastern |
| 2021–22 record | 58–18–6 |
| Home record | 34–7–0 |
| Road record | 24–11–6 |
| Goals for | 340 |
| Goals against | 246 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Bill Zito |
| Coach | Joel Quenneville (Oct. 14 – Oct. 28) Andrew Brunette (interim, Oct. 29 – May 23) |
| Captain | Aleksander Barkov |
| Alternate captains | Aaron Ekblad Patric Hornqvist Jonathan Huberdeau |
| Arena | FLA Live Arena |
| Average attendance | 14,811 |
| Minor league affiliate(s) | Charlotte Checkers (AHL) Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL) |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Aleksander Barkov (39) |
| Assists | Jonathan Huberdeau (85) |
| Points | Jonathan Huberdeau (115) |
| Penalty minutes | Radko Gudas (105) |
| Plus/minus | Gustav Forsling (+41) |
| Wins | Sergei Bobrovsky (39) |
| Goals against average | Sergei Bobrovsky (2.67) |
Quenneville resigned from his coaching duties as a result of the fallout from the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal on October 28, 2021. On October 29, assistant coach Andrew Brunette was named interim head coach.
The franchise record season opening winning streak reached an 8–0–0 record. The streak ended after the Panthers lost to the Boston Bruins 3–2 in a shootout. The Panthers became the seventh team to begin the season at 8–0–0. The Panthers became the first team to clinch a berth in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs following a 5–3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on April 3, 2022. On April 21, the Panthers clinched the Atlantic Division title, and on April 28, they won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history.
On May 13, 2022, the Florida Panthers won their first playoff series since 1996 by defeating the Washington Capitals in six games, only to suffer an upset in the Second Round by the Tampa Bay Lightning, who swept them in four games.