The 2023-24 second annual Florida Cup Ice Hockey Showcase is designed to create a playoff atmosphere in the early part of the season for the local Florida teams: The Florida Eels, the Florida Jr. Blades, the Tampa Bay Juniors and the Palm Beach Typhoon.
The additional Florida Division teams – the Atlanta MadHatters and Bold City Battalion, along with the Southeast Division’s Columbia Infantry – will compete in a separate championship event called the Military Cup.
The Florida Cup is a two-day event consisting of Saturday and Sunday games. The seedings are based on the conclusion of last year’s regular season final standings. The first place team will face off against the lowest seed. The second seed will square off against the third seed. Last season, both Eels teams were the winners of both the Elite and Premier Florida Cups. The Premier being the Gold and the Elite the Silver making the Eels the defending Champions.
In this year’s contest, both Eels teams finished at the top of the standings as Regular Season champions. The Jr. Blades finished the lowest seed amongst the four organizations participating so they will square off against the Eels at both levels this upcoming weekend. The Tampa Juniors will face off against the Palm Beach Typhoon Premier and Elite teams on the initial day of games. On Sunday, the winners of each set of games will then compete for the Florida Cups on Sunday.
The spirit of these games is what throttles the competition. The games do count in the standings as part of their 44 regular season games. Each team plays the Florida teams eight times (four home and four away) for a total of 24 games, and they play the Mad Hatters in six games (three home and three away), for a subtotal of 30 games, and then the Florida Division teams compete in three showcases. Two are in Florida in December and January and the recently concluded USPHL Southeast Showcase for 12 showcase games and a subtotal of 42. The two Florida Cup games round out each team’s 44-game schedule.
There is no doubt the Florida Cup establishes preliminary bragging rights for the teams. They are well scouted on FloHockey and part of the regular recruiting process.
The USPHL and host Florida Eels hope to see you there live at the Fort Myers Skatium or join us on FloHockey.
All games at Fort Myers Skatium
Saturday Schedule:
Premier
Oct 14: Palm Beach Typhoon at Tampa Bay Juniors, 4:30 p.m.
Oct 14: Florida Jr. Blades at Florida Eels, 7:10 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 15 – 4:30 and 7:15 p.m.
Elite
Oct 14: Florida Jr. Blades at Florida Eels, 9 a.m.
Oct. 15: Palm Beach Typhoon at Tampa Bay Juniors, 11:40 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 15: – 9 a.m. and 11:40 a.m.
