Revisiting the Florida Panthers’ 1993 Expansion Draft – Hockey Writers – Florida Panthers

The rich history of the Florida Panthers dates back to a fateful night in June 1993, when new NHL franchises, including the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, began to assemble their rosters before their inaugural seasons.

Since that day, the Panthers have won two Stanley Cup titles and reached the finals twice. However, the expansion draft added players who went on to have long, impactful careers in Florida.

John Vanbiesbrouck

John Vanbiesbrouck played parts of five seasons at Florida, from 1993-94 to 1997-98, and during that time, he finished in the top five in Vezina Trophy voting twice and inside the top 10 twice. He was also a three-time All-Star as a member of the Panthers.

He was a key starting point guard, especially during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996. As the first overall pick in the expansion draft, he had an immediate and lasting impact on the franchise and became the benchmark for future Panthers goalies.

Mark Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick, a goaltender for the Quebec Nordiques, was the third pick in the 1993 Expansion Draft and the second pick by the Panthers. He also played parts of five seasons at South Florida, compiling a 43-42-22 record. He was an effective backup behind Vanbiesbrouck during their run to the Cup final.

Darren Puppa

Puppa was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and became the third goaltender selected by the Panthers (fifth overall). He never played a game for Florida, as he was also selected in the second round of the expansion draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning – as part of the latest group of expansion teams, they can select one player from two new expansion teams.

Milan Tichy

Tichy was the first non-goalie selected by the Panthers (to the Chicago Blackhawks); he also did not play in a game against Florida. He was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in a one-man trade for Brent Severyn before the start of their first season. He only played 23 NHL games in his career, but still holds the distinction of being the first forward drafted in the expansion draft.

Paul Laus

Defenseman Paul Laus was the second skater selected by the Panthers. He played 530 games throughout his nine years with the team, scoring 14 goals, 58 assists, and 1,702 penalty minutes. He has played both full-back and right wing, bringing flexibility to the line-up and as a physical asset to a team trying to prove its identity. He recorded double-digit points four times at Florida.

Joe Cirella

Defenseman Joe Cirella played 83 games in two seasons with the Panthers, bringing a solid veteran presence after playing for multiple organizations in his 11-year career so far. He had one goal and 10 assists at Florida.

Alexander Godynyuk

The Panthers selected Alexander Godynyuk from the Calgary Flames 13th overall. He played in 26 games in the franchise’s first year, registering 10 assists, before being traded to the Hartford Whalers.

Gord Murphy

Murphy, selected 15th overall, was another defenseman with NHL experience. He quickly became the team’s reliable blueliner and played most of his career with the team, appearing in 410 games, scoring 42 goals and 100 assists.

Stephen Richer

Stephane Richer was a 27-year-old defenseman selected 20th overall by the Boston Bruins. He also played for the Lightning before joining the Panthers, but only played three games in Florida after failing to make the roster.

Gord Hynes

The last defenseman selected by the Panthers was Gord Hynes of the Philadelphia Flyers. He appeared in zero games for Florida and only played 52 NHL games in his career.

Tom Fitzgerald

The first selection of the night was Tom Fitzgerald. He was a 25-year-old from the New York Islanders and became a key member of the Panthers for five seasons, bringing credibility to the newly formed roster.

Jesse Belanger

The first center taken by the Panthers was 24-year-old Jesse Belanger from the Montreal Canadiens. He brought a Stanley Cup-winning pedigree, playing nine games in the Canadiens’ championship run in 1993.

Scott Levins

The first right fielder selected in franchise history was the Winnipeg Jets’ Scot Levins. He appeared in 29 games for the Panthers during his first campaign, registering five goals and six assists. He was traded in January of that year, along with Evgeny Davydov and a conditional option, to Bob Kudelski’s Ottawa Senators.

Scott Mellanby

Scott Mellanby, the 30th overall pick of the Edmonton Oilers at age 27, stayed with the Panthers until he was 34. He played in 552 games with the team, scoring 157 goals and 197 assists, including two campaigns with 30 or more goals, an All-Star campaign, and a season in which he finished 22nd in the Hart Trophy. Mellanby was key in helping build the team’s identity in their early years, and key to their run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996.

Brian Skrudland

Continuing to strengthen their middle group, the Panthers selected Brian Skrudland from the Flames, who arrived at the Miami Arena at the age of 30. He played 256 games with the team over four seasons, scoring 32 goals and 67 assists. He earned three Selke Trophy nominations, two third-place finishes, and a 15th-place finish as a member of the Panthers.

Dave Lowry

Florida selected Dave Lowry, a 28-year-old left tackle from St. He contributed a lot to the depth during his time with the franchise, appearing in 272 games over parts of five seasons and contributing 50 goals and 60 assists.

In the expansion draft, the Panthers laid the foundation for their franchise by selecting some key players. Key pieces like Mellanby and Vanbiesbrouck became the foundation of the organization, which helped prepare them for Stanley Cup Finals appearances in their first years.