High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena (Formerly Teco Arena ). The team has existed since 1998. The Everblades are affiliated with the Charlotte Checkers and the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL), and with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Everblades have not missed the playoffs in any of their thirteen seasons and have made two appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals. The franchise has finished first in the league in attendance 5 times, and never lower than fourth. Prior to the building of the Germain Arena, the arena site was an empty cow pasture on what is now Everblades Parkway near Interstate 75 in Estero. Current GM Craig Brush was said to be reading a free copy of a National Geographic magazine that featured articles on the Florida Everglades, when he envisioned the idea to bring a minor-league hockey team to Southwest Florida. The team`s name derives from the former Kentucky Thoroughblades AHL franchise.