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For the second year in a row, Panthers fans packed Fort Lauderdale Beach to celebrate their Stanley Cup victory, marking the team’s historic back-to-back championship titles.
Thousands of fans lined A1A, waving flags, and cheering as players paraded on open-roofed buses, holding the Cup under sunny skies.
“It’s a little better day today than it was last year, but still, this is amazing,” said Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. “What a day we’re having with you guys.”
The players, joined by coaches, staff and family members, tossed merchandise into the crowd and stopped frequently to greet fans. Along the way, some of the players hopped off their buses to bring the Stanley Cup down to fans standing along the route, letting them touch it and take photos.
South Florida native Dwayne Stafford, standing along the parade route with his family, reflected on what the Panthers’ win means to the community.
“We are proud of you,” said Stafford. “We love how close you guys are together, and you guys are definitely like family.”
South Florida is quickly becoming a hockey town, and for veteran fans like Marcus Springston, the parade was a testament of how far the sport has come.
“We were there in the dark days when there were about 5,000 fans in the stands,” said Springston. “We had season ticket holders when it wasn’t cool to be a season ticket holder. Just being here today and seeing all these people and supporting the Panthers, it’s amazing.”
Throughout the parade, fans and players danced and cheered along the sidewalk, many said the energy felt like the possible beginning of a dynasty.
“We’re already halfway through the dynasty, we got a back-to-back cup,” said Dre Henriques. “The third one it’s not gonna be easy. But everybody’s got their back.”
