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WASHINGTON -- The Florida Panthers had a final chance to celebrate their 2024 Stanley Cup championship when they visited the White House on Monday before turning their focus fully to trying to win the Cup again.

In town to face the Washington Capitals on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MNMT), the Panthers took advantage of the opportunity to accept the invitation from President Donald Trump to be honored during a ceremony in the White House’s East Room before going to the Oval Office with him to take photos.

“It’s incredible,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “It’s kind of like that cherry-on-top finish. It’s been an incredible last almost year celebrating it and going through that run and to be here at the White House today and meet the president of the United States and lucky enough to have him honor us is just so cool and something that I honestly never would’ve imagined.

“Now that I’m here, I’m just trying to take it all in. I’m kind of speechless right now and I never am.”

Tkachuk had to find some words, though. One of only three United States-born players on the Panthers last season, along with goalie Anthony Stolarz (now with the Toronto Maple Leafs and unable to attend), and forward Kyle Okposo (retired but rejoined the team for the ceremony), Tkachuk was chosen to speak on behalf of the players.

“This is such an incredible day for myself,” Tkachuk said in addressing President Trump. “You wake up every day really grateful to be an American, so thank you. This team, this group of guys is super special.

“Everybody sees what we do on the ice, but I've built bonds with these guys I will have for the rest of my life.”

The Florida Panthers visit the White House as Stanley Cup Champions

President Trump lauded the Panthers for winning the Stanley Cup last season for the first time in their 30 NHL seasons and recalled how they won the first three games the best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers before losing three in a row and regrouping to win 2-1 in Game 7.

“I said, 'Ooh this is going be a tough loss,” President Trump said. “That would've been bad, but real champions can pull it out. It was a tremendous championship watched by all. You had couple of really close calls, and I watched the team get better and better and better, and then they won.”

The Panthers also reached the Stanley Cup Final in in 2023 before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in 2023. Florida (32-19-3) leads the Atlantic Division again this season and hopes to make a run at a third straight Final appearance and repeating as Cup champions.

Trump complimented Panthers owner Vincent Viola, who he called “a friend of mine,” and noted the contributions of coach Paul Maurice, captain Aleksander Barkov, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Tkachuk and fellow forwards Anton Lundell, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart.

“It was very special,” said Barkov, who is from Finland. “I know I’m not American, but still it was a huge honor to get to visit the White House and see Mr. President and shake his hand. Even to be in the same room with him, it was a special thing, so, for sure, one of those moments that you’re going to remember of the rest of your life.”

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Viola, Barkov and Tkachuk presented President Trump with a framed Panthers jersey with “45-47” on the back -- representing that he is the 45th and 47th president of the United States --, another “Trump 47” jersey and a gold stick before spending a few minutes with him in the Oval Office.

“This was really cool,” forward Evan Rodrigues said. “You head into the season and you kind of turn the page a little bit, but to come here and kind of celebrate it again was a cool experience. It was something that probably you’re looking at a once-in-a-lifetime experience meeting the president, getting to go in the Oval Office. Just an awesome moment.”

This was the Panthers' second visit with a president in three months, Florida also met Finland President Alexander Stubb following the second game of 2024 NHL Global Series Finland against the Dallas Stars in Tampere on Nov. 2. The Panthers presented President Stubb, whose father Goran Stubb was NHL’s Director of European Scouting for 40 years before retiring in 2023, with a customized jersey and took their photo with him in the locker room.

“It actually tells you a lot about what we accomplished because you know it’s a big thing,” said Barkov, who was the first Finland-born captain to hoist the Stanley Cup. “As a hockey player, you want to win the Stanley Cup, but then once you do, there are so many different honors and accomplishments and, obviously meeting the president -- the Finnish president, the American president -- it was a great honor. So, it was worth it.”

Going to the White House at this time had additional meaning for Tkachuk. The 27-year-old will play for his country, along with his younger brother Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators, in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-off, an international tournament featuring teams made up of only NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States to be held Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.

“Representing the United States coming up too (at the 4 Nations Face-Off) and to be here at the White House, it’s all coming together so fast,” Tkachuk said. “I definitely take great pride in being American and being from the United States. I can’t really stress enough how much it means for me to be here.”