Nottingham Panthers seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Nottingham Panthers ice hockey team currently of the British Elite League. This list documents the season-by-season records of the Nottingham Panthers from their inaugural season in 1946-47 to 1959-60 and from their reformation in 1980-81 to the present day. The Panthers were due to begin play in the 1939-40 season but the outbreak of World War II delayed this for seven years. The club played their first competitive game on November 22, 1946, defeating Wembley Monarchs 3-2 at the Ice Stadium.

They played in the English National League for their first eight seasons before becoming part of the amalgamated British National League in 1954. Following the collapse of the British National League in 1960 the Panthers were disbanded. The club were reformed in 1980 when the Sheffield Lancers relocated to Nottingham. Since that time the Panthers have played in the English League South, English National League, British Hockey League, Ice Hockey Superleague and the current Elite Ice Hockey League. A charter member of the Premier League in 1983 at the reintroduction of a national league, Nottingham have held continuous membership of the highest league since then and are the only team to have done so. They are also the only founder member of the Premier League who continue to play in the highest league and have been since 1996.

In their 42 completed seasons, the Panthers have been regular season champions 3 times, in 1950-51, 1953-54 and 1955-56. The team have won the national playoff championship twice, in 1988-89 and 2006-07 and appeared in 7 other playoff finals. They have 24 post season appearances, including 23 consecutively between 1985-86 and the present. Nottingham have won the Autumn Cup 6 times, in 1955-56, 1986-87, 1991-92, 1994-95, 1996-97 and 1998-99 and 2 Challenge Cups in 2003-04 and 2007-08. In total the Panthers have appeared in 20 major finals, winning 9 of them. They have an overall regular season record of 745 wins, 617 defeats, 127 ties and 33 overtime defeats.

Footnotes

References

* cite book
last = Chambers
first = Michael A.
title = Nottingham Panthers Statistical Guidebook 1946-47 and 1999-00
origyear = 2000
publisher = Michael A. Chambers
location = United Kingdom
language = English
isbn = 0 9539398 0 4
* [http://www.panthershistory.co.uk An ongoing history of the Nottingham Panthers by Peter Walch]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com The Internet Hockey Database]