The rain does not stop the reign of the Panthers, who celebrate the Stanley Cup with a parade and rally

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – They waited 30 years. It would take more than a big storm to dissuade the Florida Panthers from this party.

Not even a torrential rain – so heavy that flood warnings were issued in the area – accompanied by a huge lightning storm could stop the Panthers Stanley Cup Celebration on Sunday, the one the franchise has been waiting forever to have. With an estimated presence of tens of thousands of fans, the team arrived in double-decker buses that traveled along the seafront before stopping on the sand for a rally where the trophy was hoisted once again.

Carter Verhaeghe was the player who brought the Cup to the stage, “We Are The Champions” by Queen played and no one cared how soaked they were, no one cared that it was still raining. The Panthers were champions after three decades of waiting. The title was won last Monday night, with Florida defeating Edmonton 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

“It’s incredible,” said goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky, who at one point got off the bus with the Cup and decided to walk a little down the road while the fans who lined the parade route – some from Saturday night – roared. “I never thought so many people would come and support us. For us to share this moment with the fans is unbelievable.”

The parade and rally capped off the first few days of celebration that included the following items, among others, that go into the Stanley Cup at various times: beer, champagne, apple juice, no less than three human beings – all children of players – and a steaming plate of pasta topped with freshly grated cheese, a dinner that Panthers legend Roberto Luongo enjoyed with pride.

“I can’t put it into words,” Panther captain Aleksander Barkov said as he watched the parade scene.

Panthers owner Vincent Viola danced on stage as his wife Theresa captured the scenes on her phone. Matthew Tkachuk went off route at one point to visit his favorite bar, Elbo Room, which happened to be right next to the bus path. The players, one by one, had the opportunity to lift the Cup on stage. There was a campaign t-shirt that some players wore – Maurice Zito 2024, a tribute to coach Paul Maurice and president of hockey operations Bill Zito, who planned the Cup campaign. Other fans wore a similar jersey – Barkov Tkachuk 2024, a tribute to Florida’s stars.

And as if the crowd needed more encouragement, a shirtless Panthers offensive lineman, Nick Cousins, ran up to the fans, drank a beer in celebration and punched the air.

“It feels like the culmination of your life’s effort, everything you’ve ever worked for,” defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “When you put that trophy on your head, it’s a beautiful feeling. And it’s the pinnacle of hockey. It’s everything you could imagine.”

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