Florida Panthers arrive in style for Global Series game

The Florida Panthers are looking at their Global Series matchup against the Dallas Stars as a homecoming of sorts. Their captain, Alexander Barkov, is a native of Tampere, Finland, where the Stars and Cats will compete in back-to-back matches.

As the Panthers prepare for homecoming, the team arrived in style for their first game at the Nokia Arena in Tampere. At the entrance, the entire cast showed off their Finnish fashion, sports robes and sandals. The Panthers took to social media to share several photos and a brief video of the team’s sauna.

The decision to don the robe is a tribute to Finnish culture and the city the Panthers and Stars visit. Sauna culture is an important part of everyday culture in Finland. The country of about 6 million people reportedly has between 2 and 3 million operating saunas.

The Panthers looked ready to relax when they entered the arena, but that won’t be the case when they hit the ice. The Cats and Stars have been two of the best teams in the NHL for the past few seasons. The Panthers may be the defending Stanley Cup champions, but the Stars have made it to the Western Conference finals multiple times over the last five years.

Both teams are also proudly represented by players of Finnish origin. As mentioned above, Barkov is a Tampare native and has already been named in Finland’s squad for the upcoming Four Nations match in February. His return from injury came at the perfect time to play in these games.

The Stars have a trio of Finnish players who are arguably their three most important pieces. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen anchors the blue line, averaging the most playing time of any Dallas player. Another defenseman, Esa Lindell, plays crucial minutes on both ends in all situations. And center Roope Hinz is a points-per-game player who is also a legitimate Selke Trophy candidate for the NHL’s best defensive forward.

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