The Florida Panthers achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday night by becoming only the third team in the salary cap era (since 2005-06) to secure consecutive Stanley Cup victories. Their triumph also marked the fourth time in NHL history that a team has defeated the same opponent in back-to-back years to claim the championship.
So, how did the team celebrate this remarkable back-to-back achievement? For the second year running, the Panthers, accompanied by the coveted Stanley Cup, made their way to the legendary Elbo Room bar in Fort Lauderdale.
As dawn broke, the team captain, Aleksander Barkov, arrived at the scene in a police vehicle, bringing the Stanley Cup with him.
Speaking from the back of the police car during an interview, Barkov commented, “Let`s savor this moment, but winning a third straight championship seems quite possible.”
Reports indicate that key players like Matthew Tkachuk, Gustav Forsling, and Barkov, alongside numerous teammates, were seen entering the famous beach bar with the Stanley Cup early Wednesday morning. It`s highly likely that the celebration began immediately after Game 6 and continued without rest.
Most of the Panthers squad eventually joined the festivities at Elbo Room. They raised the Stanley Cup on the bar`s balcony, offering fans a glimpse while celebrating overlooking S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. In a classic move, some players even filled the Cup with beer and shared it (by pouring it down) with the crowd gathered below.
Following their 2024 victory, Tkachuk famously took the trophy for a dip in the Atlantic Ocean. However, this year`s celebration did not include an ocean swim, as the NHL reportedly prohibited taking the Stanley Cup into the water after the events of the previous year.
While Wednesday`s celebration at Elbo Room was memorable, it wasn`t the team`s only planned public event.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis confirmed that the official Panthers championship parade is scheduled for Sunday. The celebratory procession is expected to travel along Fort Lauderdale beach and commence at noon.
The 2024 championship parade attracted an estimated crowd of at least 200,000 fans.
