2002/2003: In a season in which the Florida Panthers celebrated their 10th anniversary the newly renamed Office Dept Center host one of the most exciting All-Star Game in NHL history as for the first time ever a shootout is used to determine the winner. However, Florida Panthers fans would not have much to cheer about as the Florida Panthers played miserable hockey at home posting an embarrassing 8-21-7-5 in Sunrise. On the road the Florida Panthers would play above .500 as goalie Roberto Luongo established himself as one of the top young net minders in the NHL. The Florida Panthers would continue to rework the team, as Sandis Ozolinsh and Valeri Bure are dealt away during the season in which the Florida Panthers finished in 4th place with a 24-36-13-9 record.

2003/2004: It was a year of great instability for the Florida Panthers who finished in 4th place with a 25-35-15-4 record, along the way a power struggle between GM Rick Dudley and Coach Mike Keenan threatened to rip apart the franchise. After 15 games Keenan was fired and replaced by Dudley who took over on an interim basis. Dudley would eventually leave the bench in February as John Torchetti was named coach for the rest of the season. Down the stretch the Florida Panthers would play competitive hockey thanks to the stellar efforts of Goalie Roberto Luongo who was a finalist for the Vezina with 7 shutouts and a .931 save percentage. However the low scoring Florida Panthers kept him from winning allot of games. When the season was over the power struggle between Keenan and Dudley reemerged as GM Rick Dudley who despite being given a contract extension in January is fired and replaced by Mike Keenan who brought in Jacques Martin to take over behind the bench.