The Stanley Cup got another chance in the Atlantic after the Florida Panthers captured their first-ever championship following their decisive Game 7 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.
Panthers stars Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekbald and Sam Reinhart were all at the Elbo Room Beach Bar in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday with a giant herd of fans surrounding them to catch a glimpse of hockey’s ultimate prize.
Beer was also poured into the Cup as fans continued to rave about their team winning the first-ever Stanley Cup title in franchise history.
At one point during the beach outing, Tkachuk decided to go swimming in the ocean and took the cup with him in a baptism of sorts, as seen in a viral clip posted to social media.
Panthers fans shouted with joy as Tkachuk, Ekbald and Reinhart took turns posing with the cup in the turquoise-looking ocean water.
Florida Panthers players were surrounded by fans on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Tuesday as wild celebrations continued following the team’s first-ever championship victory 24 hours earlier
After taking a dip in the ocean, Tkachuk, 26, kissed the cup while holding it above his head
They also all posed with the silverware above their heads before giving it a kiss as the waves came to shore.
“I’m very lucky, the guys are such a great group of guys, we have a lot of fun on and off the ice,” Tkachuk, 26, told NBC6.
The star forward from Florida also promised a summer of partying with fans and his teammates that he and they will never forget.
“It’s probably going to be the biggest party that’s probably happened there in South Florida in a few days,” he said.
‘I can not wait.’
Of the 19 players who played for Florida in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday, only four were part of the organization before general manager Bill Zito arrived in September 2020.
The Panthers pose with the Stanley Cup trophy after beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7
Zito traded for Tkachuk two years ago – something many in the hockey world said was a terrible move by Florida -, signed a slew of free agents, found guys on the waiver wire, whatever it took to build a roster to fill and make the cap math work.
The result: an end to the Panthers’ 26-year playoff drought and a first Stanley Cup appearance since 1996.
“It’s hard to put into words how humbling it is and how much respect you have for the game as a whole, especially for someone who has never played in the NHL,” Zito said.
‘So quite special.’
“It’s so incredible,” Tkachuk added. “The best thing that happened to me in hockey was coming here. I’m so happy. … It’s kind of crazy what that cup does. It attracts people. It’s the most attractive thing in the world.’