CARRYING ON THE RAT TRICK LEGACY

One the greatest traditions in Panthers history is the celebratory tossing of plastic rats onto the ice. The practice started in the 1995-1996 season, when Scott Mellanby had his “rat trick” and steered the young franchise to its first Stanley Cup Final. Rats invaded the ice over the coming decades, but their presence was especially strong during the 2024 Stanley Cup run. Nearly 30 years after the Year of the Rat, Mellanby reflected on the championship Cats. “I think their win is tremendous,” he said. “It’s been a long journey. I’m happy that the franchise survived. They went through a lot of tough years to become champions.”