2025 Stanley Cup Champions
Florida Panthers: The Ring Is Their Thing
FORT LAUDERDALE — A new NHL season is upon us, and there will be plenty of surprises to come. One big secret will be unveiled later today when the Florida Panthers gather for their now-annual Stanley Cup championship ring celebration.
Last year, when Vinnie and Teresa Viola handed out the individual ring boxes to players and staff, they all opened them at the same time.
The Panthers kept the element of surprise until the final moment.
No one outside of the very top of the organization had seen those spectacular rings until they all saw them together.
“I had a chance to see it,” general manager Bill Zito said last year. “I’m not a Christmas Eve guy. I wanted to wait, and I am thrilled that I did.”
By all accounts, the Panthers have continued that this year.
No one knows what the new rings will look like, and that leads to even more excitement among the team.
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“It will be a good reflection of what we accomplished last year,” Carter Verhaeghe said. “It’s obviously a huge accomplishment for our team.’’
Last year’s ring ceremony was a scaled-down affair put together at the last minute after their more grandiose plans at their arena were canceled due to the impending threat of Hurricane Milton.
Citing caution due to storm preparations, the team settled on a more intimate gathering at the newly-renovated War Memorial Auditorium next to their training facility in Fort Lauderdale.
It was such a nice event, the team decided to hold a similar event there this year.
As for the ring, last year’s version was crafted by Jostens in 14-karat gold. It sparkles with 554 diamonds, 16 princess-cut rubies, one genuine ruby, nine blue sapphires, and 37 yellow sapphires.
It is, simply put, a spectacular piece of jewelry.
Can the Panthers top last year?
Good luck.
“I have never seen a piece of jewelry like this in my entire life,’’ Matthew Tkachuk said last year.
“Unfortunately I cannot keep the Stanley Cup in my possession at all times but this will remind me of that each and every day. It’s incredible.”
ON DECK: OPENING NIGHT
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
- When: Tuesday, 5 p.m.
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
- National TV: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN+/Hulu
- Radio: WQAM 560-AM/104.3 FM; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
- Last Season: Tied 1-1
- This Season — At Florida: Tuesday; At Chicago: Jan. 25
- All-time Regular Season Series: Blackhawks lead 30-20-4, 3 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. (Local TV)
