SUNRISE, Fla. – With a return trip to the playoffs on the horizon, the Florida Panthers had a chance to pause and reflect on the journey that brought them to this moment earlier this week.
Gathering the team together for a single photograph might seem like a simple gesture, but in many ways Photo Day holds a special significance for groups with big aspirations. In those moments captured on camera, the essence of teamwork and collaboration can come to light.
“It's pretty cool just having everybody in the organization together for just one picture,” forward Steven Lorentz said following Wednesday’s practice at Amerant Bank Arena.
Who’s everybody?
It’s likely more folks than most fans realize.
While the players are always at the forefront, the Panthers have a vast network of individuals working tirelessly behind the scenes to help the organization succeed. From coaches and trainers to front office staff and support personnel, each plays a vital role in the team's daily operations,
On Photo Day, all these other faces come to light.
“It just shows how many people are pulling strings to make things work,” Lorentz said. “It’s not just the product you see on the ice, it’s the people behind the scenes. It’s nice that everybody gets their face in one shot and gets recognized.”
For newcomers like Lorentz, the first Photo Day with a new team is always extra special.
"I was a new guy coming into a team that went to the finals last year,” Lorentz said with excitement. “I knew that most of this team was bought in and were playing for each other, so I didn’t want to come in and ruin the vibe or the mojo. I wanted to blend in and learn from these guys who knew what it took to get to that finals last year and hopefully we can do it this year."
As the years go by, photos also pile up.
"It just takes you back,” Lorentz said of his old team photos. “The season is long but there are so many things that happen throughout the year that you might not be able to spit out just off the top of your head, but you might be walking by an old photo one time and be like, ‘Oh, I remember that team!’ You see a guy and a story comes up in your mind and it just kind of brings you back.”
For players, any chance to make a memory is also appreciated.
"It's neat that we can do this," said Lorentz, who’s always flashing a smile on the ice. “This is already my fourth year in the league, and I still remember being a rookie like it was yesterday."
With more than 1,800 games behind the bench in the NHL, head coach Paul Maurice doesn’t exactly know where many of his old team photos are these days, but the memories still remain.
When asked about the importance of Photo Day, the longtime bench boss believes it boils down to just celebrating the little things such as inside jokes, fun moments and more from each year.
It’s one last chance to look back before looking ahead to even bigger games.
"Usually, it's pretty funny,” Maurice grins. “If you haven't had a lot of changes [to your team], there's some jokes. Ours was pretty quiet here today, but there was a lot of people in that picture. We probably wanted to be respectful of the people that wouldn't understand the jokes."
Looking ahead, the goal is to create even more special moments in the playoffs.
"A lot of memories have been created this year," Lorentz said with a strong sense of optimism in his voice. "Hopefully, many more to come in the playoffs."
