Shortly after arriving to town on Sunday, players ventured to a local hot springs for a little rest and relaxation. After that, they headed downtown for dinner. But before they sat down for a meal, players decided to embrace the vibes in Wyoming by purchasing some custom cowboy hats at a nearby store.
"I think most of the guys got one," forward Sam Bennett said. "I'm sure we'll all be rocking them tomorrow."
Sporting those hats the following morning, players hopped on Jackson Hole's famous aerial tram for a trip up the mountain. Once they arrived at their destination about 10,450 feet above sea level, they were met by chilly winds, but also some warm waffles and beverages at the famous Corbert's Cabin.
"It was cold, very cold," Bennett smiled. "A cool view and some good waffles, so we enjoyed that."
To read more about that trip up the mountain, you can find a new "Panthers Postcard" from forward Sam Reinhart
here
.
Getting in on the fun, Panthers coaches and trainers got to explore Jackson Hole as well. But while many of the coaches decided to spend their time skiing the slopes, head coach Paul Maurice had other plans.
"I have another profession," smiled Maurice, who added that he hadn't been skiing since he was 13 years old. "I sat in front of the fireplace in the middle of the hotel lobby for about seven hours and just talked to everybody. We actually don't get to see people as much as you think, to connect with people and with their families. It was just a real nice 36 hours out of an NHL routine. We enjoyed it a lot."
Given how fast the word spread about the Panthers being in town, the atmosphere during Monday's practice at the Snow King Sports and Events Center could best be described as hockey's version of Beatlemania as hundreds of fans -- and even a few dogs -- packed the cozy rink, which is home to the Jackson Hole Moose of the Senior A division of the U.S.A. Hockey Association.
With every move the players made on the ice, the kids in the crowd would ooh and ahh, and any time that a goal was scored the stands would erupt into a chorus of cheering and clapping.
For players that grew up in similar areas, the practice felt like turning back the clock.
"It was a lot of fun," defenseman Josh Mahura said. "We all kind of grew up playing in rinks like this in smaller towns. It's a lot of fun and kind of brings you back to those memories. To see the support from everyone here has been so much fun."
Following practice, players were mobbed by excited kids as they mad their way to the locker room. Many were able to get autographs and selfies, while a lucky few headed home with a stick or puck.
With the closest NHL team to Jackson Hole located roughly 500 miles away in Denver, this was the first time that many of the kids had the chance to see professional hockey players up close.
"It's nice a reminder of the power of the National Hockey League," Maurice said. "It gets lots sometimes, especially if you're on a long road trip and fatigue starts to set in and you stop appreciating how nice the hotel is that you're in because you're just tired. It's good to get to places like this and just see the kids. They're all excited and fire up."
