The Florida Panthers Just Hired Rob Granato to Build Something Big in Girls Hockey

The Florida Panthers are making a serious move. On Monday, the team unveiled a new girls travel hockey program that will operate out of their current and former practice facilities later this year, and they've tapped Rob Granato, brother of women's hockey legend Cammi Granato, to oversee the whole thing as youth travel hockey director.

This isn't some half-baked side project. Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito has wanted to tackle youth hockey development for a while now, and the timing feels right. "Actually, the perfect time probably would have been 15 years ago," Zito said. "But now we have the chance." The move comes fresh off USA Hockey's dominant run at the Milan Cortina Games this winter, sweeping Olympic golds in men's, sled, and women's hockey.

A Real Opportunity for Young Girls in Florida

Here's the thing: girls in Florida who wanted to compete at a serious level basically had to leave. Not anymore. "There are girls that played here and they've had to leave the area if they want to continue their path," Rob Granato explained. "Now we want to make sure they've got an opportunity here, in our buildings, to stay in their own beds, not travel far to play other teams. And there's enough players now."

The programs will focus on development while creating a pathway to national-level competitions. Interest has already been wild, even before the official announcement. Zito says the response has been extremely high in recent weeks.

Youth Hockey Is Booming in Florida

The numbers back this up. Youth hockey registration in Florida has exploded. According to USA Hockey, the state went from 9,363 registered players in 2005-06 to 22,888 last year. That's a 144.5% increase. The Panthers aren't starting from scratch either. Girls are already part of some of their programs, and last year they launched a learn-to-play initiative for girls and women age 14 and older who had never played before.

Zito even threw out a wild encouragement: if you're 14 and thinking about starting hockey, don't count yourself out. "Roberto Luongo didn't start concentrating on hockey until he was 14," Zito noted. "So, if you're 14 and you want to play hockey, you can play hockey and you might make it to the Hall of Fame. There isn't a rule that says you can't start later."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.