For the first time in the franchise’s 30-year history, the Florida Panthers have won the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in 7 games.
BARKOV TAKES THE STANLEY CUP AROUND THE ICE! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kzmOVMJLEt
— ESPN (@espn) June 25, 2024
Sure, the Florida Panthers were up 3-0 and gave up 18 total goals in games 4,5, and 6 but they locked in to beat the Oilers 2-1 to win the Stanley Cup. No need to talk about how they almost had a heartbreaking loss that would’ve altered the lives of many Panthers employees as well as their fans.
And sure, Connor McDavid took home the Conn Smythe trophy despite being on the losing end of the series because he led the entire playoffs with 42 points and beat a WAYNE GRETZKY playoff record with his 34 assists while proving to be the objective best hockey player on the planet.
This is about the Florida Panthers establishing Sunrise, FL as the new home of the best ice hockey. As I write this, it’s currently 89 degrees in Sunrise—perfect weather for inspired kids to throw on their bulky, hot, sweaty equipment and work on their slapshots.
You have to credit Panthers head coach, Paul Maurice, who has a career coaching win-loss record of 323-319—just the textbook definition of mid. In 2021, Maurice resigned from his job in Winnipeg saying “If you’ll allow me some arrogance, I feel I’m better positioned than anyone to know that they need a new voice. They haven’t quit on me. But they need somebody that can get them to that next place”, so basically he knew he wasn’t good enough to get the Jets over the hump and just simply quit on them.
Perhaps the credit goes to star goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky, who was affectionately nicknamed “playoff Bob” thanks to his love of allowing a ton of pucks past him in previous postseasons. On the Flyers, he gave up 5 goals to the Penguins and was benched in a 10-3 loss. He had a .722 save percentage in that series. That’s not good.
This is the same playoff Bob that let the Oilers come back down 0-3 to make this a 7-game series.
So if it wasn’t the mediocre head coach or the goalie who gets frightened in the playoffs, how did the Panthers pull off this championship?
BRING OUT THE POTS AND PANS! Watch as Panthers fans in Westchester celebrate the team’s Stanley Cup victory South Florida-style! https://t.co/JXxSwUyypj pic.twitter.com/NDw32cBcgt
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) June 25, 2024
SHOUT OUT TO FLORIDA PANTHERS FANS FOR CARRYING THIS TEAM TO THE CHIP.
The Panthers finished the playoff ranked 1st in attendance because, as we all know, hockey is in the DNA of every Sunrise, Florida resident.
Get ready for a generation of kids from Ft. Lauderdale taking over the NHL.
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Did the Florida Panthers establish Sunrise as the next hotbed for hockey? Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee. Let me know how you think Connor McDavid lost an opportunity to be considered the GOAT.
