Scott Mellanby went down in Panthers lore with his Rat Trick during the 1995-1996 season opener. That season was the most successful in his career, when he recorded highs in goals, assists and points. Mellanby’s production helped the Panthers reach the 1996 Stanley Cup Final.

Stephen Weiss is third on the Panthers all-time list of power play goals scored with 48 (Scott Mellanby and Olli Jokinen are ranked 1 and 2 with 66 and 65, respectively). During Game 2 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals the center showed how he got so high on that list with two power play […]

Do you know everything you need to know about the Rat Trick? On October 8, 1995, Opening Night at Miami Arena, Scott Mellanby waited with teammates in the locker room before the game. When a rat crashed the party, Mellanby dispatched it with his hockey stick, then later went on to score two goals that night in a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames.

Starting with Scott Mellanby’s Rat Trick at the 1995 home opener and ending with an appearance in the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, the Year of the Rat proved to be a successful season for the Panthers. During the 2015-2016 season, the Panthers gave away this commemorative rat in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the […]

Did the Panthers know that Opening Night 1995 would go down in team history? Players and owner H. Wayne Huizenga signed a poster commemorating the game, where Scott Mellanby’s Rat Trick was the highlight of a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames.

Brian Skrudland was the first Panthers captain (1993-1997) and holds a special place in the hearts of fans. Skrudland’s work ethic, John Vanbiesbrouck’s outstanding goaltending and Scott Mellanby’s “Rat Trick” magic were huge components of the team’s early playoffs success.

Fans who attended Opening Night on October 8, 1995, witnessed the beginning of Rat Trick lore, including two Scott Mellanby goals in the 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames at Miami Arena.

Panthers fans celebrated a fun piece of hockey history with a commemorative puck for the NHL’s first Rat Trick. On Opening Night 1995, Scott Mellanby scored two goals with the same hockey stick he had used to kill a rat in the locker room pre-game. John Vanbiesbrouck described the feat as a Rat Trick.

Ed Jovanovski got his start with the Florida Panthers in 1995 just as veterans like Brian Skrudland, John Vanbiesbrouck and Scott Mellanby were turning the team into a powerhouse. “Jovo” used this two-piece composite stick during the 1996-1997 season, when he played 61 games, earned 23 points and headed to the playoffs for the second […]

No season lives in Panthers fans’ memories like 1995-1996, when the team made its historic run to the Stanley Cup Final. Known as “The Year of The Rat,” after Scott Mellanby killed a rat with his stick near the team’s clubhouse at the old Miami Arena. The story caught fire and fans created a tradition […]