‘You feel that energy in the air’: Fans fill Baptist Health IcePlex for 2026 NHL Draft Watch Party

FORT LAUDERDALE – One step closer to the new season. 

With just under three months until the Florida Panthers first preseason game, fans filled Baptist Health IcePlex on Friday night to attend the 2026 NHL Draft Watch Party. 

“It's always fun, especially in the summer, and the playoffs just ended, and now we get here, and we get to celebrate the game,” President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito said of the draft party. “There are people excited about our team, and I imagine about seeing each other. A lot of folks like when you go to the games and you see the people in the same section year after year. I got the sense that everybody was having a good time, and just really appreciative for coming out and supporting us.” 

Hosting a panel of special guests prior to the draft, Panthers play-by-play announcer Steve Goldstein spoke with Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Zito, and head coach Paul Maurice.

Receiving well deserved warm welcomes, the fans were on their feet in applause as the Panthers joined the panel. 

“I was very impressed,” said Nina, a dedicated fan in attendance. “It was nice to see the players, Coach Maurice, and Bill Zito. Goldie did a great job with the questions. It was awesome.” 

Giving an inside look of how their summers were going, Reinhart told the audience that he was at his parents’ house in Vancouver and Ekblad noted that he was out swordfishing this past weekend when they found out about the news of their new teammate, Brady Tkachuk. 

Along with Goldstein, Panthers radio play-by-play Doug Plagens and analyst & Panthers alum Billy Lindsay were also at the draft party broadcasting live on 104.3 WQAM and Audacy.com throughout the night. 

Once the draft picks started getting called, fans were able to enjoy public skating and curling while watching the draftees be selected. 

"It's really fun, and Paul (Maurice) said the same thing to me,” said Zito. “You feel that energy in the air. I hope the fans felt the same way about it that we did, because it's very nice." 

With no picks in the first round, the Panthers will be on the clock Saturday with six picks between the second and seventh rounds on Saturday. 

To stay up to date throughout the draft, check out FloridaPanthers.com/Draft.