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Florida Panther fans pack Fort Lauderdale Beach for Stanley Cup victory celebration

Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, playoff MVP Sam Bennett, among those who spoke on stage to thank fans

(AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

Florida Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe carries the Stanley Cup during the NHL hockey team's Stanley Cup championship celebration, Sunday, June, 22, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

By: Scott Sutton , Associated Press

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Fresh off their second straight Stanley Cup championship, the Florida Panthers and thousands of fans packed Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday for a massive victory celebration.

Double-decker buses carried players and members of the organization along A1A starting at Riomar Street, beginning at noon for the two-and-a-half-hour celebration.

Florida Panther players show off Stanley Cup during victory parade

The route concluded just north of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park — across from Hotel Maren — at Southeast Fifth Street. That's where head coach Paul Maurice and players, including Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, playoff MVP Sam Bennett, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand, took to the stage to thank the organization, fans and family members.

Thousands of fans were up early, lining the parade route hours before the party began.

Plenty of boaters were also offshore, partaking in the celebration as well.

Florida Panther fans pack A1A for victory parade

"It's a little better day today than it was last year, but still, this is amazing," Barkov said. "What a day we're having with you guys."

Panthers coach Paul Maurice declared this "the summer of love" for fans of the team, doing so while wearing another shirt featured his beloved cats Poppy and Penny — a shirt made by his daughter. He wore a similar shirt to last year's parade, also made by his daughter.

There were cries of "Thank you, Boston!" when Marchand — who came to Florida in a trade with the rival Bruins — was introduced. Marchand, a free agent, again indicated that he wants to be back with the Panthers, who won this season's Cup by topping the Edmonton Oilers in six games.

"I'm so happy that I don't have to play against these guys anymore," Marchand said, pointing to his Florida teammates.

Tkachuk drew loud roars when he told the crowd that he "would like to apologize to absolutely ... nobody because a double champ does whatever ... he wants," copying a line used by Conor McGregor when he became a double UFC champion.

"I could get used to this,” Tkachuk said as he looked out at the crowd — some of whom were in the water, with most others packed hundreds of yards deep down the sand. Tkachuk then thanked team owner Vincent Viola and general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito for trading for him three years ago, saying it changed his life.

Defenseman Aaron Ekblad, just as he did last year, took a shot at golfer Brooks Koepka, who famously went to a Panthers game once to heckle the veteran defenseman.

Reinhart, who scored four goals in the clinching win over Edmonton, missed last year's parade because a close friend was getting married. He didn't miss Sunday.

"The only thing I've heard all day is how this is the best parade that's ever been had in South Florida," Reinhart said. "Thank God I missed last year and not this year."

Bobrovsky thanked the crowd, and said he hoped there was another parade next year. And Bennett, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, heard the crowd chanting their hopes of him getting a new contract with the Panthers.

So, he ended his speech with the same request.

"Eight more years, please," Bennett said.

Read more of WPTV's coverage of the Florida Panthers' second straight title win: