2025 Stanley Cup Champions
Panthers Excited to Keep Cup Party Going with Parade Today
SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers have been celebrating their second straight Stanley Cup championship pretty hard but want to keep the party going today with their parade and rally on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
And y’all are invited.
The more, actually, the merrier.
Last year, an estimated 250,000 crammed the parade route down A1A along the beach in Fort Lauderdale and, based on what he has seen since Tuesday’s 5-1 win over the Oilers in Game 6, Matthew Tkachuk expects an even bigger crowd today.
And that was in spite of a torrential thunderstorm that soaked everything on the beach.
“It was incredible,’’ Tkachuk said. “The weather, yeah, it just kept getting bigger and bigger, the closer you got to the stage, too. And and I know that this year it’s going to be way bigger than it was last year. I just think hockey is the ‘it’ thing in Florida right now. It really is. So I think it’s going to be an unbelievable parade.”
Added Aaron Ekblad: “Really excited for the parade. Is it going to rain again? I guess either way, if it’s hot, that might be tough; if it rains, I’m kind of OK with that. But we can hold off on the lightning hopefully. Yeah, that was a little bit scary last year. I’m really excited for the parade. It’s going to be great. We’ll be trying to bring it. It might be hard with the last few days, but if there’s ever the time to bring it, it’s then.”
Paul Maurice was the star of last year’s post-parade rally at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, starting off by showing off his custom t-shirt made by his daughter Sydney.
At first glance, it looked like a regular t-shirt with the team logo on it.
But the logos — one on the front, the ‘leaping cat’ on the back — were actually photos of the faces of the Maurice family’s two cats Poppy and Penny.
“My daughter made this shirt,’’ Maurice told the crowd at the beachfront rally, “and I promised her, if we ever won the Stanley Cup, I’m wearing it!”
Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice shows off the front of his custom Panthers t-shirt at the 2024 Stanley Cup championship parade. // Photo courtesy @FlaPanthers
Saturday, he said the shirt — or something close to it — will be making its way to the parade.
“Yeah, I don’t have a choice on that,’’ Maurice said. “I think I’ve got two [shirts]. I have to wear both. That’s a deal I made a couple years ago, that you’re wearing this shirt. I don’t have a choice.”
The shirt was just an appetizer for what came next when a very happy Maurice let one expletive after another fly from the stage. It got so bad, one local station had to cut the live feed altogether.
Maurice said he doubts that will happen this time around, but one never knows.
“People are coming in for the parade. We’ll enjoy that,’’ Maurice said. “Probably won’t celebrate quite as much on the bus on the way over. The speech, I’ll keep it PG rated tomorrow. It’s been far more subdued. Just a very peaceful time. I haven’t had a hangover yet, so I’m way ahead of where I was last year.”
As far as the Cup celebrations are going, Tkachuk says this team isn’t about to slow down.
He said Sasha Barkov should “have his jersey retired” for his antics at the party at E11even in downtown Miami on Thursday night.
“It just keeps getting better and better,’’ Tkachuk said. “It’s been so much fun. We’re the best team on the ice. I guarantee you we’re the best team off the ice, too. It’s been a lot of fun, and the party’s not stopping anytime soon.”
2025 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS
FLORIDA PANTHERS
UP NEXT
- 2025 Stanley Cup Championship Parade/Rally: Sunday, Fort Lauderdale Beach; noon
- 2025 NHL Draft: June 27-28, Los Angeles (Panthers have six picks in Rounds 4-7)
- Start of NHL Free Agency: July 1
- Panthers Development Camp, Fort Lauderdale IcePlex: Early July
- Panthers Rookie Camp, Fort Lauderdale IcePlex: Early September
- Prospect Showcase hosted by Tampa Bay Lightning: Early September
- Training Camp: Mid-September
- Exhibition Games: Late September
- Opening Night: Oct 7-9 (opponent, time, date TBA)
