Sunrise, Fla. – There are a couple of minor houses in the Stanley Cup these days, including one near where the 2024-25 names Florida Panthers imprinted in memory of their last name.
These things happen during championship celebrations. Don't worry, they will be fixed soon.
And the Panthers are hoping to be able to put a few more dents in the trophy next year.
A new season began Tuesday for the now Stanley Cup champions as the Panthers looked to the top of Ammant Bank Arena to watch another championship banner raised to the rafters. It's basically the same as last year – white background, red lettering – with the only change being the year, 2025 rather than 2024.
“It's a new year and a new opportunity for us,” Panthers Forward Brad Marchand said. “And when that starts, it's time to turn the page and start working toward the possibility of hopefully doing it again.”
The banner swung at the end of the ice Chicago BlackhawksBy the field For the next home game on Thursday, it will take a more permanent spot above the team bench, along with the team's other banners for division and conference titles.
“It’s like you’re looking back at what you’ve accomplished, but at the same time you’re proud of the accomplishment,” Panthers Forward Anton Lundell said. “But it makes you more hungry to do it again.”
Fans lined up for another photo with the Cup outside the arena doors Tuesday afternoon, many arriving well before the unusual 5 p.m. start time for the nationally televised TripleHeader. As they walked inside, the new scoreboard above center ice showed a compilation of moments from the third period of Game 6 of last season's Stanley Cup Final, in case anyone had forgotten how this season ended.
And after all the warm-ups were completed, as in June 2024 and June 2025—the Panthers ended those Cup championship runs by beating Edmonton Oilers On home ice, the fans roared as the trophy was brought to the rink. Mate Aaron oak leaf They did this year's awards by carrying the trophy onto the ice, then holding it up before placing it on a stand next to where the banner unfurled and went up.
“It's incredible to go out in front of our fans and be able to lift it one more time,” Ekblad said.
Once the banner was raised, the players raised their sticks in a salute to the fans.
“We want three! We want three! We want three! The fans chanted back.
Marchand said: “It’s good to see their expectations set. We obviously have the same ones, but it will be more difficult than the last ones. … It’s a long road ahead.”
The premiere capped a two-day celebration for the champions; Panthers players and coaches received their championship rings in a private ceremony Monday night.
“Last night was a little bit of a nice reminder for them what all that hard work pays off,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “And it kind of lifts everyone’s spirit and gets them excited about tonight.”
It won't be an easy road for the Panthers this season. Captain Alexander Barkov He will miss several months and possibly the entire season with two torn ligaments in his knee, an injury suffered 20 minutes into his first training camp practice. And forward Matthew Tkachuk released before likely December, recovering from off-season surgery. Barkov and Tkachuk, dressed in street clothes, watched the climb from Florida's bench.
'It'll be there forever,' Panthers defensive end Seth Jones said about the banner. “This is a special group. And it's a celebration, but at the same time it's a turn of the page. This is a new chapter.”
The Panthers know how rare this opportunity is. They could become the first back-to-back NHL champion New York Islanders won four consecutive bowls from 1980 to 1983.
“The great thing about sports is that you don't know, and there's a reason we play games, and it's about the stories that can be generated,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “And it will be an interesting story. Two of the biggest stars on the team were injured. How well they come back, how resilient the team is without them, it will be a great story to see unfold. This is an organization, a team that has been well put together. [General manager] Bill Zito deserves a huge amount of credit. I'm guessing this team will give it all to make it happen again if they can.”
