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 22 November 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.
In their 48 completed seasons, the Panthers have been regular season champions 4 times, in 1950–51, 1953–54, 1955–56 and 2012–13. The team have won the playoff championship five times, in 1988–89, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2011–12 and 2012–13 and appeared in 8 other playoff finals. They have 30 post season appearances, including 29 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 7 Challenge Cups in 2003–04, 2007–08 and five in a row between 2009–10 and the present. In total the Panthers have appeared in 29 major finals, winning 17 of them. They have an overall regular season record of 954 wins, 707 defeats, 127 ties and 56 overtime defeats.
| Autumn Cup Winners | Regular Season Champions | Playoff Champions | Challenge Cup Winners | Finished bottom of standings |
| Season | League | Autumn Cup[1] | Regular season[1] | Post season | Challenge Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | Finish | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | ||||||||||||
| 1946–47 | English League | Did not enter | 7th | 36 | 7 | 25 | 4 | - | 134 | 223 | 18 | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||
| 1947–48 | English League | 5th | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 46 | 10 | 6th | 36 | 13 | 20 | 3 | - | 162 | 184 | 29 | ||||||||||
| 1948–49 | English League | 5th | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 69 | 58 | 14 | 4th | 28 | 12 | 11 | 5 | - | 122 | 126 | 29 | ||||||||||
| 1949–50 | English League | 3rd | 36 | 19 | 15 | 2 | 162 | 167 | 40 | 6th | 24 | 10 | 13 | 1 | - | 126 | 151 | 21 | ||||||||||
| 1950–51 | English League | 4th | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 148 | 134 | 31 | 1st | 30 | 18 | 9 | 3 | - | 156 | 105 | 37 | ||||||||||
| 1951–52 | English League | 2nd | 30 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 153 | 139 | 35 | 6th | 30 | 9 | 20 | 1 | - | 122 | 169 | 19 | ||||||||||
| 1952–53 | English League | 4th | 30 | 13 | 15 | 2 | 151 | 174 | 28 | 3rd | 30 | 15 | 12 | 3 | - | 144 | 144 | 33 | ||||||||||
| 1953–54 | English League | 5th | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 104 | 115 | 19 | 1st | 24 | 15 | 5 | 4 | - | 136 | 106 | 34 | ||||||||||
| 1954–55 | British League | 5th | 22 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 111 | 95 | 22 | 2nd | 40 | 25 | 10 | 5 | - | 224 | 152 | 55 | ||||||||||
| 1955–56 | British League | 1st | 24 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 124 | 93 | 34 | 1st | 32 | 17 | 14 | 1 | - | 185 | 166 | 35 | ||||||||||
| 1956–57 | British League | 5th | 24 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 113 | 124 | 17 | 5th | 32 | 10 | 18 | 4 | - | 131 | 173 | 24 | ||||||||||
| 1957–58 | British League | 3rd | 24 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 103 | 107 | 23 | 2nd | 32 | 16 | 13 | 3 | - | 158 | 158 | 35 | ||||||||||
| 1958–59 | British League[2] | 5th | 24 | 6 | 15 | 3 | 90 | 123 | 15 | 4th | 30 | 9 | 16 | 5 | - | 124 | 146 | 23 | ||||||||||
| 1959–60 | British League | 3rd | 24 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 90 | 123 | 22 | 2nd | 32 | 16 | 14 | 2 | - | 127 | 132 | 34 | Won in Semi Final, 7-6 (Streatham)[3] Lost in Final, 5-6 (Brighton) |
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| 1960–80 | The Panthers were disbanded in 1960 and were not reformed until 1980 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–81 | English League South[4] | 4th | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | - | 75 | 75 | 17 | Did not qualify[5] | |||||||||||||||||
| 1981–82 | English League | 2nd | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | - | 85 | 82 | 18 | Did not qualify | |||||||||||||||||
| English League South[6] | 2nd | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | - | 155 | 61 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–83 | British League B[7] | 4th | 28 | 14 | 10 | 4 | - | 228 | 206 | 29 | Did not qualify[8] | |||||||||||||||||
| 1983–84 | Premier League | Finished second in qualifying group[9] | 8th | 32 | 9 | 21 | 2 | - | 183 | 277 | 20 | Did not qualify[10] | ||||||||||||||||
| 1984–85 | Premier League | Finished third in qualifying group | 8th | 36 | 12 | 22 | 2 | - | 151 | 233 | 26 | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||
| 1985–86 | Premier League | Finished first in qualifying group Lost in English Final, 8-16 (Durham) |
6th | 36 | 15 | 17 | 4 | - | 181 | 226 | 34 | Finished third in qualifying group | ||||||||||||||||
| 1986–87 | Premier League | Finished first qualifying group Won in English Final, 15-9 (Whitley) Won Autumn Cup, 5-4 (Fife) |
3rd | 36 | 23 | 12 | 1 | - | 317 | 215 | 47 | Finished third in qualifying group | ||||||||||||||||
| 1987–88 | Premier League | Finished second in qualifying group | 6th | 36 | 13 | 21 | 2 | - | 243 | 298 | 28 | Finished third in qualifying group | ||||||||||||||||
| 1988–89 | Premier League | Finished third in qualifying group | 3rd | 36 | 22 | 9 | 5 | - | 305 | 193 | 49 | Finished second in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 8-6 (Whitley) Won British Championship, 6-3 (Ayr) |
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| 1989–90 | Premier League | Finished fourth in qualifying group | 6th | 32 | 12 | 18 | 2 | - | 183 | 185 | 26 | Finished second in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 4-5 (Murrayfield) |
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| 1990–91 | Premier League | Finished second in qualifying group[11] | 6th | 36 | 16 | 16 | 4 | - | 200 | 202 | 36 | Finished fourth in qualifying group | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991–92 | Premier League | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 13-10 (Cardiff) Won Autumn Cup, 7-5 (Humberside) |
2nd | 36 | 21 | 12 | 3 | - | 238 | 192 | 45 | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 7-3 (Peterborough) Lost in Final, 6-7 (Durham) |
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| 1992–93 | Premier League | Finished second in qualifying group Won in Quarter Final, 18-14 (Basingstoke) Lost in Semi Final, 7-15 (Cardiff) |
3rd | 36 | 19 | 15 | 2 | - | 256 | 236 | 40 | Finished first in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 4-5 (Humberside) |
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| 1993–94 | Premier League | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Quarter Final, 6-5 (Basingstoke) Lost in Semi Final, 9-11 (Cardiff) |
4th | 44 | 26 | 16 | 2 | - | 288 | 224 | 54 | Finished second in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 0-8 (Sheffield) |
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| 1994–95 | Premier League | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Quarter Final, 25-10 (Slough) Won in Semi Final, 25-11 (Murrayfield) Won Autumn Cup, 7-2 (Cardiff) |
3rd | 44 | 32 | 8 | 4 | - | 372 | 213 | 68 | Finished second in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 7-11 (Murrayfield) |
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| 1995–96 | Premier League | Finished second in qualifying group Won in Quarter Final, 11-9 (Basingstoke) Won in Semi Final, 16-8 (Humberside) Lost in Final, 2-5 (Sheffield) |
4th | 36 | 19 | 12 | 5 | - | 214 | 174 | 43 | Finished second in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 3-1 (Durham) Lost in Final, 3-4 (Sheffield) |
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| 1996–97 | Super League | Finished second in qualifying group Won in Quarter Final, 5-4 (Cardiff) Won in Semi Final, 6-3 (Sheffield) Won Autumn Cup, 5-3 (Ayr) |
4th | 42 | 21 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 160 | 147 | 45 | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 6-5 (Ayr) Lost in Final, 1-3 (Sheffield) |
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| 1997–98 | Super League | Finished second in qualifying group Lost in Quarter Finals, 5-8 (Ayr) |
4th | 28 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 95 | 99 | 31 | Finished third in qualifying group | Finished fourth in qualifying group[12] Lost in Semi Final, 8-16 (Ayr) | |||||||||||||||
| 1998–99 | Super League | Finished third in qualifying group[13] Won in Second Round, 19-0 (Slough) Won in Quarter Final, 7-1 (Newcastle) Won in Semi Final, 5-4 (Manchester) Won Autumn Cup, 2-1 (Ayr) |
3rd | 42 | 25 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 140 | 134 | 53 | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 4-2 (Bracknell) Lost in Final, 1-2 (Cardiff) |
Finished second in qualifying group[14] Won in Semi Final, 6-5 (Cardiff) Lost in Final, 0-4 (Sheffield) | |||||||||||||||
| 1999–00 | Super League | Finished fourth in qualifying group Won in Second Round, 5-3 (Peterborough) Lost in Quarter Final, 2-13 (Cardiff) |
6th | 42 | 18 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 140 | 165 | 40 | Finished fourth in qualifying group | Finished fourth in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 7-4 (London) Lost in Final, 1-2 (Sheffield) | |||||||||||||||
| 2000–01 | Super League[15] | Finished third in qualifying group Won in Quarter Final, 7-4 (Manchester) Lost in Semi Final, 5-7 (Sheffield) |
8th | 48 | 18 | 23 | - | 7 | 126 | 167 | 53 | Finished fourth in qualifying group | Finished fifth in qualifying group | |||||||||||||||
| 2001–02 | Super League | 4th | 48 | 19 | 20 | 9 | - | 140 | 141 | 47 | Finished sixth in qualifying group | Finished second in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 4-7 (Ayr) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002–03 | Super League | 3rd | 32 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 92 | 92 | 34 | Finished third in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 3-4 (London) |
Finished first in qualifying group[16] Won in Semi Final, 3-2 (Belfast) Lost in Final, 2-3 (Sheffield) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003–04 | Elite League | 2nd | 56 | 34 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 209 | 158 | 76 | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 6-1 (Manchester) Lost in Final, 1-2 (Sheffield) |
Finished fourth in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 11-5 (Belfast) Won Challenge Cup, 4-3 (Sheffield)[17] | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004–05 | Elite League | 4th | 50 | 25 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 136 | 101 | 61 | Finished second in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 3-1 (Cardiff) Lost in Final, 1-2 (Coventry) |
Finished second in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 4-5 (Coventry) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | Elite League | 3rd | 42 | 23 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 111 | 88 | 54 | Finished third in qualifying group | Finished first in qualifying group Lost in Semi Final, 7-8 (Coventry) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | Elite League | 5th | 54 | 29 | 17 | - | 8 | 182 | 149 | 66 | Won in Quarter Final, 6-5 (Sheffield)[18] Won in Semi Final, 2-1 (Belfast) Won British Championship, 2-1 (Cardiff) |
Lost in Quarter Final, 4-5 (Sheffield) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | Elite League | 3rd | 54 | 33 | 18 | - | 3 | 173 | 133 | 69 | Lost in Quarter Final, 6-7 (Cardiff) | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 10-5 (Newcastle) Won Challenge Cup, 9-7 (Sheffield) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | Elite League | 3rd | 54 | 37 | 13 | - | 4 | 225 | 153 | 72 | Won in Quarter Final, 9-5 (Manchester) Won in Semi Final, 6-2 (Coventry) Lost in Final, 0-2 (Sheffield) |
Finished third in qualifying group. | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Elite League | 3rd | 56 | 34 | 20 | - | 2 | 215 | 177 | 70 | Won in Quarter Final, 9-4 (Edinburgh) Lost in Semi Final, 1-2 (Belfast) |
Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 7-3 (Sheffield) Won Challenge Cup, 8-7 (Cardiff) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2010–11 | Elite League | 4th | 54 | 33 | 16 | - | 5 | 260 | 179 | 72 | Won in Quarter Final, 8–4 (Braehead) Won in Semi Final, 4–3 (Sheffield) Won British Championship, 5–4 (Cardiff) |
Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 18–4 (Newcastle) Won Challenge Cup, 4–3 (Belfast) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | Elite League | 3rd | 54 | 38 | 12 | - | 4 | 241 | 129 | 80 | Won in Quarter Final, 5–4 (Braehead) Won in Semi Final, 10–4 (Hull) Won British Championship, 2–0 (Cardiff) |
Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 5–3 (Braehead) Won Challenge Cup, 10–4 (Belfast) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Elite League | 1st | 52 | 42 | 9 | - | 1 | 232 | 111 | 85 | Won in Quarter Final, 5–4 (Fife) Won in Semi Final, 6–3 (Cardiff) Won British Championship, 3–2 (Belfast) |
Finished second in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 9–4 (Belfast) Won Challenge Cup, 5–3 (Belfast) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2013–14 | Elite League | 4th | 52 | 25 | 20 | - | 7 | 188 | 169 | 57 | Lost in Quarter Final, 1–9 (Braehead) | Finished first in qualifying group Won in Semi Final, 11–7 (Sheffield) Won Challenge Cup, 7–6 (Belfast) | ||||||||||||||||
| Regular season totals | -- | 1844 | 954 | 707 | 127 | 56 | 8790 | 7919 | 2050 | 4 regular season titles | ||||||||||||||||||
Footnotes edit
- ^ a b Code explanation; GP—Games played, W—Wins, L—Losses, T—Tied games, OTL—Overtime losses, GF—Goals for, GA—Goals against, Pts—Points
- ^ Edinburgh Royals took part in the Autumn Cup competition. They did not take part in the League.
- ^ In season 1959–60, the top four teams in the five team British League competed in the playoffs. Both the semifinals and final were two-legged ties with the team scoring the most goals at the end of the second match being the winner of the tie.
- ^ No away fixtures were played between the Panthers and Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club and Oxford University Ice Hockey Club. One home fixture against each was played for double points. The Panthers played the remainder of their opponents once at home and once away.
- ^ Only the winner of the English League South advanced to the national Icy Smith Cup (the name given to the British Championship at the time). There they would meet the winner of the English League North in the semifinal, the winner of that tie going on to play the winner of the Northern League playoffs in the final.
- ^ Again the Panthers did not play an away game against either of the two University sides. Rather than play games for double points, Panthers played an additional fixture against Streatham Redskins and Southampton Vikings.
- ^ In 1982–83, the new British League was divided into three sections of five. Teams in Section B played all the teams in the league twice, while teams in Section A and C did not face each other instead playing teams in their own section four times as well as the two games against Section B teams. This meant that the teams in Section A and C played 26 games and the teams in Section B played 28.
- ^ In the 1982–83 playoffs, the winning team in Section C played the runner up of Section B for the right to play the winner of Section B in the English final. The top two teams in Section A played for a place in the national final. The final was between the winner of the Section A (Scottish) final and the English final.
- ^ The Autumn Cup qualifying stages were a round robin stage made up of two English groups and one Scottish. The winner of the Scottish group moved into the final while the winners of the two English groups played an English final to determine the second finalist.
- ^ Between 1984 and 2006, the teams qualifying for the playoffs played a preliminary round robin group stage. Teams were divided into two groups with the top two in each advancing to the semifinals (in 2002 and 2003 a single qualifying group was used with the top four advancing to the semifinals). The semifinals and final were one off games played at a predetermined venue, the exception being in 1998 when the semifinals were played as a best-of-three series. Between 1984 and 1990 and again in 2004 and 2005, the top six teams qualified for the playoffs. Between 1991 and 2001 and again in 2006, the top eight teams qualified. In 2002 and 2003 when the membership of the league was 7 and 5 respectively, all teams qualified for the playoffs.
- ^ In 1990–91, the English and Scottish sections used in the preliminary stages of the Autumn Cup were dropped in favour of four groups. The winner of each group advanced to a two-legged semi final, the winners moving on to the final. In 1992–93, the competition was extended with the top two from each group moving into a quarter final round.
- ^ All eight teams competed in a single round robin group stage, playing one home game and one away game against each other. The top four advanced to two-legged semi finals with the winners facing each other in a one off final.
- ^ In 1998–99 and 1999–00, teams from the Super League were divided into two groups of eight. Their final placing within the group determined their second round opponent from the British National League (who had their own group stage).
- ^ Between 1998–99 and 2000–01 and again in 2003–04, certain designated league fixtures doubled up as Challenge Cup qualifiers. Results counted towards a team's league standing and their standing within a separate Challenge Cup table. The top four teams moved into a two-legged semi final, with the winners facing each other in a one-off final.
- ^ During the 2000–01 season, three points were awarded for a regulation time win, two for an overtime or penalty shots win, 1 for an overtime or penalty shots defeat and none for a regulation time defeat.
- ^ The seven teams taking part in the league at the beginning of the season (Ayr and Manchester would later withdraw) and the Coventry Blaze of the British National League were divided into two groups of four. The winners and runners-up in each group played in one-off semi finals with the winners facing each other in a one-off final. The Panthers were due to play Ayr in their semi final but due to their demise they were replaced by Belfast.
- ^ All finals since 2003–04 have been played over two legs.
- ^ In 2006–07, the top eight teams qualified for the playoffs which were played on a knockout basis. The quarterfinals were played over two legs with a team's quarter final opponent determined on their league standing (1st vs 8th, 2nd vs 7th, 3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th). The semifinal and final remained as one off games played over a single weekend.
References edit
- Chambers, Michael A. (2000). Nottingham Panthers Statistical Guidebook 1946–47 and 1999–00. United Kingdom: Michael A. Chambers. ISBN 0-9539398-0-4.
- An ongoing history of the Nottingham Panthers by Peter Walch[permanent dead link]
- The Internet Hockey Database