At the Florida Everblades' annual Season Ticket Holder Dinner, dedicated fans filled the concourse at Hertz Arena and shared what keeps them coming back to The Swamp, proof that once you experience Everblades hockey, it’s hard to stay away. 

“We never knew about hockey until we moved here,” said six-year season ticket holders Matthew and Karoline Bonacci from Australia. 

“We had nothing to do on a Friday night, and Karoline suggested we go to the ice hockey game. I watched five minutes of the first game we’ve ever seen, went downstairs to the ticket office, bought the rest of the season and have been season ticket holders ever since.” 

From discovering the sport by chance to Everblades hockey becoming an environment that embodied pure thrill, the Bonaccis described the atmosphere as intense and unlike anything they had ever experienced before. 

It’s that same energy and dedication from fans that radiates from beyond the stands and onto the bench, creating a home-ice advantage that’s hard to match. The players thrive off of it.   

“Hearing how passionate they are out there definitely gives us extra energy and makes us compete hard on the ice,” said Blades defenseman Kurtis Henry. 

Henry was brought onto the roster late last season to start his professional career- he said the fan support has already made a lasting impression. 

“It's exciting seeing how much they care and like to come to the games; it just makes us want to work hard and do well in front of them.”

This is the mentality that makes fan support a driving force in the locker room, an aspect of Everblades hockey that motivates the players to push for more. 

The Blades made history after winning three consecutive Kelly Cups from 2022-24, but fell short in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals this past season. The loss that only fueled an offseason of confidence and hope that the Kelly Cup would soon be returning to The Swamp. 

“We're gonna get it done,” said the Bonaccis. 

Similarly, Kelly Anderson has been attending Blades games for three years, but this will be her first year as a season ticket holder. When asked about what she’s most looking forward to ahead of the season, she said, “bringing the Kelly Cup right back to Hertz.”

After two back-to-back preseason wins over Orlando, Anderson expressed no hesitation in this new group's ability to keep the winning tradition alive. 

“We can do it. We saw the preseason games and we’re more than hopeful,” she said. 

A common theme of the night was fans highlighting how, despite the roster changing each year, the Blades’ fight has remained consistent. Both literally and figuratively. 

Names like Jordan Sambrook, Sean Allen, Carson Gicewicz, and Logan Lambdin were mentioned interchangeably as examples of a group that continues to dominate physically and overcome any obstacles that come their way.

“They're fighters for sure, and I don't mean just in the literal sense, although we have that too,” Anderson said. 

Overall, every fan has their own reason for showing up. Whether they’re a season ticket holder or have only been to a few games, The Swamp has a way of uniting them all.

“We’ve met family here. Everblades fans—we are family,” Anderson said, speaking to the community that has been fostered at Hertz Arena through this Southwest Florida team. 

“It was really good to meet the community and meet the people who support us so much,” said Henry. 

At the end of the day, this is the level of support that fuels the Blades year after year and makes Hertz Arena more than just their home rink, but a second home for the fans too. 

“It’s very, very uplifting. If you’re having a bad day, I’d say just get down to the hockey rink,” said the Bonacci’s.