The Florida Everblades are a jewel in the crown for the people of Estero, Florida. Florida, as a state, is filled with amazing sports teams but there is something special about the hockey teams that come from the sunshine state and the Everblades are at the very heart of that. If you're coming to Estero from the outside, it can be tough to understand just how important the Florida Everblades are to them. In the following article, you'll be able to learn more about the Florida Everblades Hockey team and why they're so beloved in Estero.
The Florida Everblades are a minor league ice hockey team based in Estero. They were founded in 1998 and their name, unsurprisingly, is based on the Florida Everglades. The Everblades logo is infused with the spirit of their namesake and uses a gator head fused into the form of an ice skate. The Everglades play in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League). The Everblades are affiliated with both the Nashville Predators of the NHL and the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. They play their home games out of the Hertz Arena. The Everblades won their first-ever Kelly Cup on May 24, 2012 against the Las Vegas Wranglers and they have won the Brabham cup in the 1999-00, 2008-2009, and 2017-2018 seasons. They have also won the E.A Gingher Memorial Trophy four times, in 2004, 2005, 2012, and 2018. Multiple Everblades players have entered into the ECHL Hall of Fame.
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Florida is a state that certainly has no shortage of hockey teams. Across the various leagues, Florida has a wide variety of different teams. Of course, these different leagues all have very different standards which means that it would be a mistake to lump all of the Florida hockey teams into one place. Here are the Florida hockey teams separated into their different leagues.
The NHL The NHL is the largest and most famous Hockey League in the USA and Florida has two teams that compete as part of The NHL.
The Florida Panthers. The Florida Panthers were founded in 1993 and began playing in the 1993-94 NHL season. They qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs four times. They advanced past the first round and made one appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, in 1996, eventually losing in the finals to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Tampa Bay Lightning. The Tampa Bay Lightning were founded in 199. The team is named the Lightning after Tampa Bay's status as the "Lightning Capital of North America." The Tampa Bay Lightning are often referred to by the nickname of "the Bolts." In their history, the team has won one Stanley Cup championship, in 2003-04.
The ECHL. The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league. This league features teams all across the USA and that includes several located in Florida.
The Florida Everblades. Based in Estero, Florida, The Florida Everblades have only missed the playoffs once in their history, in 2013-14. They have made four appearances in the Kelly Cup finals, including there 2012 win.
The Jacksonville Icemen. The Jacksonville Icemen began play in the 2017-18. They were formerly known as the Muskegon Fury from 1992 to 2008. The franchise was sold to an ownership group based outside of Jacksonville, Florida and a relocation approved by the ECHL in 2017.
Pensacola Ice Flyers. Founded in 2009, The Pensacola Ice Flyers' name is both a tribute to Pensacola's naval aviation heritage and a homage to the team's original owner Tim Kerr, who played eleven seasons with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers.
Orlando Solar Bears. Playing in the ECHL's South Division and affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Orlando Solar Bears where founded in 2012 and play their home games in the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
The Everblades opened their 22nd ECHL campaign against the Norfolk Admirals on Oct. 11, 2019. The schedule took place across multiple cities and states with the majority of foes coming from the South Divison. Throughout the season Florida will see 15 of the ECHL's 26 teams. This season has also seen the Everblades host, multiple teams, at the Hertz arena, including defending Kelly Cup Champions, the Newfoundland Growlers.
The Florida Everblades play their home games out of the Herz Arena in Estero, Florida. In 1008, the arena was originally named Everblades Arena in tribute to the team. Since that point, Hertz Arena has undergone multiple different name changes as the naming rights pass through various different companies, with the naming rights bough by The Hertz Corporation in 2018. As well as acting as host to Florida Everblades hockey, the Hertz Arena also acts as one of Southwest Florida's premier entertainment venues. With a seating capacity of more than 8,500, he Hertz Arena has hosted a whole range of entertainment events from music concerts to Disney on Ice to world-class comedians to WWE wrestling. The Hertz Arena also includes multiple Luxury Suites, a restaurant that overlooks the arena bowl, multiple catering options, a meeting space, a pro shop, and two Recreational Rinks.
For those who've never experienced the rush of a professional ice hockey game, it can often seem like a rather hectic and confusing sport. However, the reality is that, at its core, ice hockey rests on some rather basic and fundamental rules.
Hockey's Three Main Rules.
Offsides: This occurs when any member of the attacking team precedes the puck over the defending team's blue line.
Offside Pass: When a player passes the puck from his defending zone to a teammate beyond the red centre line.
Icing: When a player shoots the puck across the centre red line and past the opposing red goal line. There are also some exceptions in which icing isn't called, including during penalties, if a teammate touches the puck before a member of the opposing team, or if the defending goalie touches the puck first.
Of course, the Florida Everblades are far from the only reason to come to Estero. This beautiful corner of Southwest Florida offers all kinds of wonderful escapes from the ordinary. This means that this is one of the best parts of the country to own any kind of rental property. Royal Shell can not only provide you with the best possible service in your property, but we can also help you understand how to get the most out of this truly wonderful location.
Note: Bonita Springs has a 7-day to 30-day minimum stay requirement which varies by property.
