{"id":6092,"date":"2025-06-22T19:43:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T19:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/6092\/"},"modified":"2025-06-22T19:43:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T19:43:10","slug":"florida-panthers-stanley-cup-parade-on-fort-lauderdale-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/6092\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup parade on Fort Lauderdale beach"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love, and some craziness, was in the air Sunday as the Florida Panthers celebrated their second consecutive NHL championship with a parade and rally on Fort Lauderdale beach.<\/p>\n

Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt shotgunned a beer while riding on a double-decker bus on A1A. Forward Matthew Tkachuk and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky ran into the Atlantic Ocean, two fans trailing with a replica Stanley Cup.\u00a0Center Carter Verhaeghe and defenseman Seth Jones got off the bus and carried the Cup in a crowd of frenzied fans. Panthers forward Sam Bennett lofted the Conn Smythe Trophy, which he was awarded as the Stanley Cup Final MVP.<\/p>\n

The mutual love and respect between the two-time champion Panthers and their fans was on display throughout the parade and rally on a hot and partly sunny South Florida afternoon.<\/p>\n

Players frequently spoke of their love for the fans during the rally.\u00a0The fans returned the love through applause and chants as the parade that began at noon wound its way south on A1A in front of a raucous crowd that\u2019s expected to\u00a0 exceed last year\u2019s estimated total of 200,000.<\/p>\n

For the second year in a row the Panthers have brought the South Florida community together as only championship teams can achieve. In return, fans have embraced and supported this team in a way that was hard to envision a few years ago.<\/p>\n

One group of fans were in the ocean with a replica Stanley Cup, imitating the famous and impromptu action of Tkachuk last year when he took the Stanley Cup in the Atlantic Ocean across from the Elbo Room, the well-known bar on A1A.<\/p>\n

The rally, during which players took the stage with the Stanley Cup, began shortly before 2 p.m.<\/p>\n

Yes, there were a couple of moments on stage in which players dropped four-letter words that weren\u2019t fit for the TV broadcast of the parade. But everyone cheered wildly as players and fans celebrated together.<\/p>\n

\"SethSeth Jones and Carter Verhage of the Florida Panthers celebrate their Stanley Cup championship during the 2025 victory parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s parade continues to be one of the best days of my life,\u201d Tkachuck declared while on stage.<\/p>\n

Chants went up for Bobrovsky (\u201cBob-by!! Bob-by!!\u201d) and captain Sasha Barkov (\u201cBarky! Barky!\u201d).<\/p>\n

\"OneOne of the buses carrying members of the Florida Panthers passes fans along State Road A1A on Fort Lauderdale beach during the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Coach Paul Maurice declared 2025 as \u201cthe summer of love,\u201d and gave a nod of appreciation to the fans.\u00a0\u201cAll of you are a gift to us,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope these men behind you gave a gift to you that you will carry forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anecdotally, this parade was as wild as last year\u2019s celebration. Players chugged beer from the Stanley Cup and threw T-shirts to fans in the crowd as the 13 double-deck buses made their way down A1A\u00a0 shortly after noon when the parade began.<\/p>\n

As it passed by Beach Place around 12:20 p.m., fans sprayed champagne on fellow parade attendees. The Stanley Cup was wildly cheered as it passed each group of fans.<\/p>\n

\"BradBrad Marchand of the Florida Panthers hoists the Stanley Cup in front of the crowd along the 2025 championship parade route on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Excitement was at a fevered pitch along Fort Lauderdale beach shortly before the two-time champion Florida Panthers, along with the Stanley Cup, got ready to party with thousands of fans on sun-splashed A1A.<\/p>\n

\"FansFans celebrate at Fort Lauderdale beach as the Florida Panthers\u2019 2025 Stanley Cup victory parade got under way on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

People showed their Panthers love in various ways.<\/p>\n

Cheryl Schweiger, 78, and Debbie Loparo, 72, from Fort Lauderdale were picking up inflatable balloons and swag bags provided by tents near the parade when they decided to get temporary Panthers tattoos.<\/p>\n

At one point parade attendees were tossing a football across A1A and people were cheering each time someone caught the ball.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fans were hanging out of ninth- and 10th-floors windows at the Spring Tide condominium, at one point waving a Panthers jersey, much to the delight of fans below. At the same location someone started a \u201cLet\u2019s Go, Pan-thers!!\u201d chant and everyone joined below on the street.<\/p>\n

Chants of \u201cBack to back!!\u201d were also shouted.<\/p>\n

This year, fans were gathering along the route as soon as the sun came over the horizon.<\/p>\n

Davie resident Esteban Medel, 43, had been standing on the pillar at the Bayshore Drive entrance to Fort Lauderdale Beach proudly waving a large Florida Panthers flag since 7.a.m.<\/p>\n

\"DavieDavie resident Esteban Medel, 43, was in position at the Bayshore Drive entrance to Fort Lauderdale beach at 7 a.m. Sunday, five hours before the start of the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup championship parade. (Kari Barnett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t sleep last night,\u201d said Medel, who is originally from Chile and now likes hockey more than soccer. \u201cI woke up at 5 a.m. because I was so excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Riley Clem, 27, and Megan Danaher, 35, walked from Victoria Park to the Elbo Room early in the morning to find a line around the block at 7:30 a.m. They ended up walking up the beach to catch the parade at Con Murphy\u2019s at Beach Place, where radio station Power 96 had a party going.<\/p>\n

Chris Shepherd, 42, of West Palm Beach and Melbourne, was camped out for a spot up front at the Beach Place portion of the route more than two hours ahead of the parade.<\/p>\n

Taylor Price, of Davie, has been standing at the barricade outside the Elbo room since 6:30 a.m.\u00a0Last year, Price, 26, was one of the people who stayed through the heavy rain on the day of the parade. As gray storm clouds formed ahead, she said she\u2019s prepared to do it again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m actually welcoming rain,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m hoping it comes this way, because it actually helps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FloridaFlorida Panthers teammates Evan Rodrigues, Gustav Forsling, Nate Schmidt, Jesper Boqvist ride in the 2025 Stanley Cup championship parade on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Kari Barnett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

The parade route started at State Road A1A and Riomar Street and was scheduled to end a rally at a stage in the sand at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, annual site of the Tortuga Music Festival. The schedule calls for the parade to conclude at around 1 p.m., with the rally from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

The Sherman family from Boca Raton staked out their spot in the sand at 7:45 a.m. They were at the parade last year and wanted to get ahead of the crowds this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to make a beach day out of it too,\u201d said Analise Sherman, 39, as she poured prosecco into plastic cups on top of a cooler. Her twin sister, Devin Watson, 39, came down from Kissimmee to join the parade party.<\/p>\n

Who does she want to see? \u201cMarchand and Bobby!\u201d she said, referring to Florida Panthers left-winger Brad Marchand and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.<\/p>\n

Their parents, Alisa and Steven Sherman, sat under the tent in the shade. \u201cHe even has a rat hat!\u201d Alisa said about her husband\u2019s red hardhat with a gold-painted plastic rat glued to the top.<\/p>\n

Analise\u2019s daughter, Elle, 7, has a matching one to go to the games with her grandfather. Clutching her pink Tkachuk shirt, she said the Florida Panthers left-winger is her favorite player.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has good sportsmanship with the other players,\u201d she said, running back to the water with her sand shovel.<\/p>\n

Brittne Gonzalez and her coworkers were all inspired by their time working at the Sunrise arena to attend Sunday\u2019s parade.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t even like sports,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cI just like the Panthers from working at the arena.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gonzalez said the energy of the crowd Sunday morning was just as insane as during games.<\/p>\n

While Gonzalez got to her spot near the front of the barricade at 8 a.m. her coworker Ana Arzuga walked right over from the hotel she was staying at a half-mile away.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupporting this team, the guys, their hard work, their dedication, their love for the community, their humbleness \u2014 that\u2019s, what it\u2019s all about,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Tkahuck, traded to Panthers three years ago from Calgary, might have best summed up this three-year stretch that has seen the Panthers reach the Stanley Cup Final three times before he left the stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe getting traded here honestly changed my life and I have all of you to thank,\u201d he said, \u201cso, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally Published: June 22, 2025 at 7:54 AM EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Love, and some craziness, was in the air Sunday as the Florida Panthers celebrated their second consecutive NHL…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6093,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[7627,171,723,1323,7628,1370,293,62,1072,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-6092","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nhl","8":"tag-broward-county","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-florida","11":"tag-florida-panthers","12":"tag-fort-lauderdale","13":"tag-latest-headlines","14":"tag-nhl","15":"tag-sports","16":"tag-things-to-do","17":"tag-united-states","18":"tag-unitedstates","19":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114728730899795109","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6092"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6092\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}