Formula 1 icon Guenther Steiner enjoys first NHL game with Panthers

FORT LAUDERDALE – Guenther Steiner has spent his life around amazing machines.

But a Zamboni? That’s a new one.

On Monday, the former Haas Team Principal and current Ambassador for the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix enjoyed his first-ever NHL game as a special guest of the Florida Panthers during their game against the New York Rangers at Amerant Bank Arena.

“I’m really happy to be here,” Steiner said with his signature grin during a first-intermission interview with FloridaPanthers.com. “I’ve lived 19 years in the [United] States, and this is my first NHL game. I watch it on TV sometimes when I’m home, but this is my first live one.”

Prior to puck drop, Steiner chatted with Panthers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito and Hall of Fame goaltender Roberto Luongo, who works as a special advisor to Zito.

The powerhouse pair of Panthers also presented the F1 icon with a custom jersey.

“When I played hockey, I was also a goalie,” said Steiner, who donned pads for several years while growing up in Italy. “Very nice guys. [I wasn’t] like Roberto. I stopped pretty early. Played for five or six years. Thinking back, I should’ve continued. I really enjoyed the time.”

During the first period, Steiner was shown on the arena's jumbotron and received a loud ovation.

Of course, Brian Tyler’s legendary F1 theme song accompanied his reveal to the fans.

Even as a veteran of the fastest sport on earth, he was impressed with the speed on the ice.

“It’s a good game,” Steiner said. “NHL, it’s the top league in the world. There’s nothing better than this. The Panthers are the champs as well, the best of the best. That’s the ceiling. You can’t go any higher than this.”

In addition to playoff hockey’s imminent return to South Florida, fans of Formula 1 will also soon be flocking to the area for the upcoming the Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, which will take place at Hard Rock Stadium from May 2-4.

Last year, several Panthers players attended the annual race in between the first and second round of the playoffs, an epic run that eventually ended with the franchise's first Stanley Cup.

After being a guest of the Panthers, Steiner is looking forward to being the one playing host.

In just a few weeks, it’ll be lights out in Miami.

“It’s one of the best F1 races in the calendar of F1, which is quite amazing,” said Steiner, who continues to generate incredible buzz for the event in his new role as ambassador. “What they’re doing there is something very remarkable. They put the bar higher.”