View source for Florida Everblades

{{Hockey team
| team       = Florida Everblades
| color      = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#3A725D 5px solid; border-bottom:#003E7E 5px solid; 
| color text = #000000
| city       = [[Estero, Florida|Estero]], [[Florida]]
| league     = [[ECHL]]
| conference = Eastern
| division   = South
| founded    = 1998
| arena      = [[Hertz Arena]]
| colours    = Green, white, navy blue<br>{{color box|#3A725D}} {{color box|FFFFFF}} {{color box|#003E7E}}
| coach      = [[Brad Ralph]]
| GM         = Brad Ralph
| affiliates = [[Florida Panthers]] ([[NHL]])<br>[[Charlotte Checkers]] ([[American Hockey League|AHL]])
| website    = [https://www.floridaeverblades.com Official website]
| name1      = '''Florida Everblades'''
| dates1     = {{nowrap|1998–present}}
| reg_season_titles = '''4''' ([[1999–00 ECHL season|1999–00]], [[2008–09 ECHL season|2008–09]], [[2017–18 ECHL season|2017–18]], [[2020–21 ECHL season|2020–21]])
| division_titles = '''8''' ([[1999–00 ECHL season|1999–00]], [[2006–07 ECHL season|2006–07]], [[2008–09 ECHL season|2008–09]], [[2014–15 ECHL season|2014–15]], [[2016–17 ECHL season|2016–17]], [[2017–18 ECHL season|2017–18]], [[2018–19 ECHL season|2018–19]], [[2021–22 ECHL season|2021–22]])
| conf_titles = '''6''' ([[2003–04 ECHL season|2003–04]], [[2004–05 ECHL season|2004–05]], [[2011–12 ECHL season|2011–12]], [[2017–18 ECHL season|2017–18]], [[2021–22 ECHL season|2021–22]], [[2022–23 ECHL season|2022–23]])
| kelly_cups = '''3''' ([[2011–12 ECHL season|2011–12]], [[2021–22 ECHL season|2021–22]], [[2022–23 ECHL season|2022–23]])
}}
The '''Florida Everblades''' are an American professional [[ice hockey]] team. They began playing in [[1998–99 ECHL season|1998]]. The team plays in the [[ECHL]]. They play their home games in [[Estero, Florida|Estero]], [[Florida]] at [[Hertz Arena]]. They are the ECHL affiliate for the [[Florida Panthers]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL). They are also the affiliates for the [[Charlotte Checkers]] of the [[American Hockey League]] (AHL).

The team was started in 1998 by Craig Brush, Peter Karmanos Jr., and Thomas Thewes. They would name the team the '''Florida Everblades''', a reference to the [[Everglades]] in Florida.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridaeverblades.com/team/hockey-operations|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=Hockey Operations|publisher=Florida Everblades}}</ref> 

On October 16, 1998, the team would play their first game as the Florida Everblades. They would be defeated by the [[Pee Dee Pride]] 5–3.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/team_results.php?tid=1541&sid=1999|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=1998-99 Florida Everblades Results and Schedule|publisher=HockeyDB}}</ref>

The team would be successful during the [[2011–12 ECHL season|2011–12 season]]. They finished with 39 wins, 26 losses, and 85 points and would make it all the way to the Kelly Cup finals. They would win their first [[Kelly Cup]] after defeating the [[Las Vegas Wranglers]] four games to one.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2012/may/23/everblades-close-out-series-over-wranglers-win-kel/|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=Everblades close out series over Wranglers to win Kelly Cup|publisher=[[Las Vegas Sun]]}}</ref> The Everglades would win back-to-back Kelly Cups in the [[2021–22 ECHL season|2021–22]] and [[2022–23 ECHL season|2022–23 season]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://echl.com/news/2022/06/florida-everblades-win-2022-kelly-cup-title|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=Florida wins 2022 Kelly Cup title|publisher=[[ECHL]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridaeverblades.com/news/2023/06/everblades-run-it-back-and-win-second-straight-kelly-cup|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=Everblades Run It Back and Win Second Straight Kelly Cup|publisher=Florida Everblades}}</ref>

On July 6, 2022, the Everblades and the [[Florida Panthers]] announced their affiliation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridaeverblades.com/news/2022/07/florida-everblades-florida-panthers-enter-affiliation-agreement|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=Florida Everblades, Florida Panthers Enter Affiliation Agreement|publisher=Florida Everblades}}</ref> The Everblades were previously affiliates with the [[Carolina Hurricanes]], [[Tampa Bay Lightning]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nhl/news/lightning-reach-affiliate-agreement-with-echls-florida-everblades|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=Lightning reach affiliate agreement with ECHL’s Florida Everblades|publisher=NBC Sports}}</ref> and [[Nashville Predators]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridaeverblades.com/news/2019/05/everblades-enter-affiliation-with-nashville-predators|accessdate=February 1, 2024|title=Everblades Enter Affiliation With Nashville Predators|publisher=Florida Everblades}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Other websites==
{{commons category}}
*{{Official|https://www.floridaeverblades.com}}

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[[Category:1998 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Carolina Hurricanes]]
[[Category:ECHL teams]]
[[Category:Florida Panthers]]
[[Category:Nashville Predators]]
[[Category:Sports in Florida]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Lightning]]