The 2008–09 Florida Panthers season was the 15th season for the franchise in the National Hockey League. The 2008-2009 season was also the eighth consecutive season in which the Panthers did not make the playoffs, missing them via tiebreaker, based upon losing the season series vs. the Montreal Canadians (1-3). On June 14, 2008, the Panthers named Peter DeBoer head coach and signed him to a multi-year contract. Former coach Jacques Martin relinquished his coaching duties, but continues as the team's General Manager. __TOC__