List of Nottingham Panthers seasons

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
Season	League	Finish	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts	Finish	GP	W	L	T	OTL	GF	GA	Pts	Post season	Challenge Cup
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)
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
1981–82	English League South[6]									2nd	16	12	4	0	-	155	61	24	Did not qualify
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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

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 play offs. Both the semi finals 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 semi final, the winner of that tie going on to play the winner of the Northern League play offs 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 play offs, 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 play offs played a preliminary round robin group stage. Teams were divided into two groups with the top two in each advancing to the semi finals (in 2002 and 2003 a single qualifying group was used with the top four advancing to the semi finals). The semi finals and final were one off games played at a predetermined venue, the exception being in 1998 when the semi finals 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 play offs. 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 play offs.
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 play offs which were played on a knockout basis. The quarter finals 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 semi final and final remained as one off games played over a single weekend.

References

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
The Internet Hockey Database

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[key-1] Code explanation; GP—Games played, W—Wins, L—Losses, T—Tied games, OTL—Overtime losses, GF—Goals for, GA—Goals against, Pts—Points

[2] Edinburgh Royals took part in the Autumn Cup competition. They did not take part in the League.

[3] In season 1959-60, the top four teams in the five team British League competed in the play offs. Both the semi finals 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.

[4] 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.

[5] 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 semi final, the winner of that tie going on to play the winner of the Northern League play offs in the final.

[6] 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.

[7] 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.

[8] In the 1982-83 play offs, 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.

[9] 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.

[10] Between 1984 and 2006, the teams qualifying for the play offs played a preliminary round robin group stage. Teams were divided into two groups with the top two in each advancing to the semi finals (in 2002 and 2003 a single qualifying group was used with the top four advancing to the semi finals). The semi finals and final were one off games played at a predetermined venue, the exception being in 1998 when the semi finals 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 play offs. 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 play offs.

[11] 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.

[12] 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.

[13] 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).

[14] 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.

[15] 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.

[16] 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.

[17] All finals since 2003-04 have been played over two legs.

[18] In 2006-07, the top eight teams qualified for the play offs which were played on a knockout basis. The quarter finals 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 semi final and final remained as one off games played over a single weekend.