This time around, the torrential downpour stayed away from Fort Lauderdale Beach as the Florida Panthers celebrated back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with their fans on Sunday.
The parade route began on Riomar Street along A1A and continued down Fifth Street, where a rally was held on stage for about an hour and a half.
Play-by-play broadcaster Steve Goldstein, who has been with the organization on television and radio since 1997, opened with a powerful speech before introducing President and CEO Matthew Caldwell.
“Who wants a third Cup?” Caldwell shouted to the thousands in attendance.
When the 2025-26 season gets underway in October, the Panthers will look to become the first team since the New York Islanders (1980-83) to win three straight Stanley Cups.
Following Caldwell, president of hockey operations/general manager Bill Zito took the stage and immediately thanked the fans for their support throughout the season.
He also invited the executives’ and players’ wives and girlfriends to the front of the stage for a ceremonial toast, thanking them for their behind-the-scenes contributions.
Notable players who spoke included Matthew Tkachuk – who dropped a few expletives – along with Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, who was not in attendance last year because of a personal matter, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Gustav Forsling.
Bennett, Marchand, and Ekblad are set to hit the free agent market on July 1, but all have repeatedly expressed their strong desire to remain with the Panthers.
Even Bennett said, “Eight more years, please,” at the end of his speech.
With back-to-back Stanley Cups now proudly in the record books, the Panthers have truly put a bow on an incredible season, and now, all eyes turn toward the future – where the dream of a three-peat starts.
