Watch: Panthers pay tribute to former coach Gallant in return to Florida
Very classy gesture by @FlaPanthers to honor Gerard Gallant during the first period of tonight’s game 👏 👏 👏 pic.twitter.com/UPa5maQ3aT
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 20, 2018
The Florida Panthers put together a fitting tribute Friday.
With the Vegas Golden Knights visiting the BB&T Center, it was the perfect opportunity for the Panthers to recognize former coach and current Golden Knights bench Gerard Gallant, who was making his first return to Sunrise.
Gallant posted a 96-65-25 record over part of three years in Florida before being unceremoniously dumped last season.
Owning a 11-10-1 record at the time of his dismissal, Gallant was only months removed from the best season in Panthers' franchise history, when the team put together a 47-win campaign. He remains the third-winningest coach in franchise history, trailing only Jacques Martin (110) and Peter Deboer (103).
Following his Florida firing, Gallant was hired as the first coach of the expansion Golden Knights. The results have been impressive, as Vegas sits atop the Western Conference with a 30-11-3 showing through 44 games, while Gallant could be a shoo-in for Coach of the Year honors.
Gallant was a Jack Adams finalist with the Panthers in 2015-16.