The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions once again. With a commanding 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, the Panthers sealed a 4-2 series win and hoisted the Cup for the second consecutive year, becoming the NHL’s first back-to-back champions since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. They are just the third team this century to repeat as champions — and they did it with style, dominance, and a dash of history.
The night belonged to Sam Reinhart, who scored four goals, becoming only the sixth player in NHL history — and the first since Maurice “Rocket” Richard in 1957 — to notch four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game. His third goal brought the crowd to a frenzy, sending hats and plastic rats flying onto the ice in a nod to the franchise’s quirky and beloved playoff tradition.
Fittingly, Matthew Tkachuk, the face of the Panthers’ resurgence over the past two seasons, scored the Cup-clinching goal. As the final seconds ticked down, chants of “We want the Cup!” turned into roars of celebration as Florida players mobbed each other in the corner, while the Oilers watched their dream dissolve in dismay.
“Good evening, South Florida,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, as he handed the Stanley Cup to captain Aleksander Barkov. “It feels like we just did this.”
With 11 series wins in 12 playoff matchups since Tkachuk arrived via blockbuster trade and Paul Maurice took over as head coach in 2022, the Panthers now look every bit like the league’s next great dynasty. The only blemish? The 2023 Final loss to Vegas, a series in which they were ravaged by injuries. This year, they were healthy, experienced — and lethal.
Florida’s deep and disciplined lineup overwhelmed Edmonton’s stars, just as they did to Tampa Bay, Toronto, and Carolina en route to the Final. Sam Bennett, who led all postseason scorers with 15 goals, captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, while veteran additions Brad Marchand and Seth Jones proved critical in the Cup run. Marchand, acquired at the deadline, tallied six goals in the Final, bringing savvy and grit. It was his second Cup, 14 years after his first with the Bruins in 2011.
Barkov, the longest-tenured Panther, passed the Cup to Nate Schmidt, a first-time champion, and soon every other first-time winner had their turn, each moment cheered by a jubilant home crowd.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, the cornerstone of Florida’s run, delivered another clinical performance. He stopped 28 of 29 shots in Game 6, allowing only a late consolation goal from Edmonton’s Vasily Podkolzin. Bobrovsky outdueled Edmonton’s carousel of goaltenders once again — Stuart Skinner got the start but was undone by defensive breakdowns and a crucial misplay on Reinhart’s second goal.
Despite a valiant effort from Connor McDavid, who finished the Final with seven points, the Oilers were simply outmatched by Florida’s depth, structure, and relentless forecheck. Leon Draisaitl was mostly neutralized, and McDavid was frequently swarmed by Barkov, Jones, and the ever-reliable Bobrovsky.
Florida’s triumph marks yet another Cup for teams in warm-weather markets — five of the past six champions have come from the U.S. Sun Belt, and four of them from the state of Florida alone.
For Canada, the drought continues. It’s now been 31 seasons and 32 years since the Montreal Canadiens lifted the Cup in 1993. The Oilers’ journey this year fell just short, their second failed Final bid in the McDavid era.
Head coach Paul Maurice now has two Stanley Cup rings in a coaching career that spans over 1,800 games — second all-time only to Scotty Bowman. His Panthers outscored opponents 65-38 in the postseason, dominating every phase of the game.
For Brad Marchand, the 14-year gap between Cups is the third-longest in NHL history — trailing only Chris Chelios (16 years between titles) and Mark Recchi (15). His leadership and timely scoring gave the Panthers an invaluable edge.
The Panthers led for an NHL-record 255:49 minutes in the Stanley Cup Final, the most ever by any team. Now, with their core intact and culture cemented, Florida isn’t just the league’s best team — they’re its reigning power.
The Cup isn’t going anywhere. The Panthers have it. And they get to keep it.
