Panthers’ Vamos Gatos Night Puts Hispanic Hockey Outreach in Focus

Florida’s Vamos Gatos Night can do more than put a Spanish phrase on a jersey. The Panthers have ties to Hispanic hockey history in South Florida, and their support for the Amerigol LATAM Cup gives that connection a place on the ice. The bigger question is whether a celebration can help newcomers follow the game, find ways to play and feel welcome after the event ends.

The Panthers will host the night on October 15, 2026, against the Vancouver Canucks at Amerant Bank Arena. The event is part of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15. The team plans a special ticket package, limited-edition merchandise and recognition for Hispanic residents making a difference in their community.

Those elements give the night its shape. The harder measure is what follows: whether a first-time attendee understands more about hockey, sees people with shared backgrounds represented in the sport, or learns how to take part. A packed arena and a memorable chant can create an opening. Keeping that connection alive takes consistent opportunities beyond one game.

Florida has a local hockey story to tell

For Panthers fans, that story starts with players who wore the Florida sweater. Al Montoya, the first Cuban American to play in the NHL, spent two seasons with the club from 2014 to 2016. He appeared in 45 regular-season games and went 18-14–5. In 2015–16, serving as Roberto Luongo’s backup, Montoya recorded a 2.18 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.

Scott Gomez also played for Florida, appearing in 46 games during the 2013–14 season. He scored two goals and added 10 assists. His father has Mexican roots, and his mother is from Colombia. Those details make their NHL careers part of a broader cultural story, but their time with the Panthers gives local fans a direct link to it.

Auston Matthews, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Team USA, is another prominent name in the NHL’s Hispanic heritage conversation. The Panthers can make the subject especially tangible for their own audience by sharing the experiences of Montoya and Gomez alongside the stories of current players across the league.

Representation carries more weight when it connects to real participation. That’s where the LATAM Cup stands out: players gather to compete while representing countries or family heritage, making culture part of the hockey experience itself.

The LATAM Cup offers a route onto the ice

The 2026 tournament was held in August at Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs and Palm Beach Skate Zone in Wellington. Participants came from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Algeria, Armenia, Greece, Israel, Lebanon and Pakistan. Its reach reflects a community shaped by many backgrounds, with hockey providing a shared place to play.

Montoya returned to South Florida as a coach. NHL.com’s William Douglas reported that Arnold Cuervo, president of Team Cuba, reached out to Montoya through social media. Cuervo remembered the former goaltender’s popularity in South Florida’s Cuban community and invited him to coach the U-12 Cuban American team.

The Panthers announced a $20,000 foundation contribution to the tournament. The NHL and NHLPA also supported the event through the Industry Growth Fund. That backing matters because it links recognition to a setting where young players can take part, with a former Panthers goaltender behind the bench.

The league and players’ association began a joint Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in September 2021 through the Hockey Is For Everyone program. The Panthers’ LATAM Cup support and Hispanic Excellence program build on that kind of visibility. They also show how a team can connect community recognition to opportunities on the ice.

Access determines whether interest lasts

Salvadoran sports journalist Fernando Abarca, speaking on the Hockey on the Beach podcast before the Sharks’ home opener against Florida, offered a concise reminder: “We’re more than just a jersey.” His point is that cultural recognition has to reflect people’s full experiences, not stop at a special design or a themed night.

Hockey can be unfamiliar to families who grew up following sports with a stronger tradition in many Latin American countries. New viewers may need a clear introduction to the rules and the flow of play. For children interested in playing, the barriers are more practical: equipment, skating instruction and ice time all carry costs.

Abarca called for more access to youth hockey and stronger outreach to Latin American communities. “I feel the NHL has to do a little more,” he said. That challenge reaches beyond Florida, though the Panthers have local examples they can build on: Montoya’s history with the club, the LATAM Cup’s presence in South Florida and the team’s planned recognition of community members.

For a new fan, useful outreach might begin with simple explanations of what’s happening on the ice and stories about Hispanic players and hockey communities. For a young player, it could mean a clear path from a first tryout to regular participation, with families able to understand the likely costs and available opportunities. Those steps would give a celebration a practical next chapter.

“Vamos Gatos” has become a familiar Panthers chant, but familiarity alone doesn’t bring someone into the sport. The team has meaningful pieces in place: local history, community honors and support for a tournament where children play. The test after October 15 will be whether that work helps more people follow the Panthers, find their own place in hockey and keep coming back.