After another Stanley Cup conquest, Florida Panthers president and CEO Matthew Caldwell is moving on to a new role in the NBA. However, the long-time chief issued a heartfelt statement addressed to everyone in the reigning NHL franchise, including veterans like Brad Marchand and head coach Paul Maurice.
Caldwell shocked many around the organization with his decision to pursue a career as CEO of the Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA team Minnesota Lynx. Though the Panthers hope their dominant run is only getting started, it’s fair for Caldwell to think his job is done in Sunrise.
The core is locked and loaded for the long-haul. Now, it’s up to Marchand, Maurice, and company to stay on track and continue to run the NHL. They definitely have Caldwell’s sign-off. That was made evident with the former CEO’s farewell message.
“Going to miss you all! My family and I are excited about this next chapter, but will always remember our times in South Florida – we started our family here,” Caldwell wrote on his X account. “Very proud of how far the franchise has come, but the Panthers are in good hands! We will be cheering from afar for a three-peat!“
Dynasty-chasing
Hoisting the Stanley Cup once is hard enough in a league as competitive as the NHL. Conquering it in back-to-back seasons is rare. But doing it three times in a row, it’s borderline impossible. No team has done so since the league introduced the salary cap in 2005.
Well, the Panthers have a pristine opportunity to do just that. The sky truly is the limit in Sunrise. The extensions of players like Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad offer just a glimpse of what the Cats are building.
So much for that
It should be implicit, but if the Panthers actually complete the three-peat, they’d earn their seat among the best teams of all time. A case could be made for them to sit at the head of it, too. After all, the salary cap was established to ensure a level playing field, but Florida would thwart that claim with a back-to-back-to-back.