Panthers Celebrate Double Championship with Victory and Dream of the Three-peat

In Sunrise, Florida, the current Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, began a new season with their sights set on another championship. The celebration of the previous title left some small marks on the Cup, but they will be repaired soon. The franchise aims to add more “notches” to the trophy.

A New Beginning

On Tuesday, the Panthers kicked off their season, watching a new banner being raised at the Amerant Bank Arena, a symbol of their recent victory. The banner, similar to the previous year’s, features a white background and red letters, with the year 2025 instead of 2024.

This is a new year and a new opportunity for us. It’s time to turn the page and work to have the opportunity to do it again.

Brad Marchand, Panthers forward

The new banner was placed above the end of the rink that the Panthers successfully defended in their 3-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. In the next home game, it will join the other banners celebrating the team’s division and conference titles.

One reflects on what has been achieved, but at the same time feels proud. This generates even more hunger to repeat it.

Anton Lundell, Panthers forward

Fans gathered to take photos with the Cup, arriving long before the start time of the match. The stadium screen showed the key moments of the sixth game of last season’s final. After the warmups, and as in June 2024 and 2025, when the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers at home, the fans roared as the trophy was brought onto the ice. Aaron Ekblad, assistant captain, had the honor of carrying the trophy and lifting it.

Incredible, to go out in front of our fans and be able to lift it one more time.

Aaron Ekblad

After raising the banner, the players raised their sticks in greeting to the fans. The fans responded with chants of “We want three!”.

It’s great to see their expectations. Obviously, we have the same ones, but this will be harder than the last two… There’s a long way to go.

Brad Marchand

The inaugural night culminated a two-day celebration for the champions; the players and coaches received their championship rings in a private ceremony on Monday night.

Last night was a good reminder of what you get for all that hard work. It lifts everyone’s spirits and gets them excited for tonight.

Paul Maurice, Panthers coach

This season, the road will not be easy for the Panthers. Aleksander Barkov, the captain, will miss several months, and even the entire season, due to a knee injury. Matthew Tkachuk will be out until December due to surgery. Both players witnessed the banner raising from the bench.

It will be there forever. This is a special group. It’s a celebration, but at the same time, it’s a new chapter.

Seth Jones, Panthers defenseman

The Panthers are aware of the uniqueness of this opportunity. They could become the first team to win three consecutive titles since the New York Islanders, who achieved it from 1980 to 1983.