FORT LAUDERDALE – The celebration felt like a family gathering.
Toasting to their second straight Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers gathered at FTL War Memorial to receive their championship rings on Monday.
In addition to players, members of the organization’s front office, hockey operations department, equipment staff and medical staff were given rings.
Ask anyone in the room, they’ll tell you each person was as important as the last.
“It’s consistent with the theme,” said general manager & president of hockey operations Bill Zito, who was also sporting his 2024 championship ring. “When you hear us talk about the family part of the team, you could see this evening how real that is and how tangible it is.”
Following a highlight video recapping the team’s historic run during an unforgettable 2024-25 season, players were handed their ring boxes and acknowledged one at a time by the team’s owners, including Vincent J. Viola and his wife, Teresa, who also gave a heartfelt speech.
In many ways, Florida’s family-like atmosphere starts at the top with the Viola Family.
“It’s preached all the time,” Zito said of the message from ownership. “If you’ve ever spent any time with them, you can see the love they have for each other. It’s real, it resonates and it transcends down. It’s very special because I do have the luxury of knowing how much of the love, the time and the effort they put into designing this [ring]. It makes it extra special.”
Once all the ring boxes were handed out, a countdown clock started.
From 10 down to one, the clock slowly ticked until it was finally time to open the box.
In those fleeting seconds, players enjoyed a moment of reflection.
“It’s a beautiful feeling,” defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “We get to share it with our wives and our teammates. It’s an awesome experience. That countdown is a culmination of our life’s efforts to do this and do it a second time.”
Once the countdown ended, a collective gasp filled the room.
As players stared into their respective boxes, over 450 diamonds and rubies stared back.
Made in collaboration with The Champions Collective, the team’s hand-crafted 2025 championship features an almost overwhelming mix of stunning gold and gemstones.
On the front of the ring, a “PANTHERS” tab sits in front of two Stanley Cups.
The Cups, which represent the team’s 2024 and 2025 championships, feature 81 brilliant diamonds, sitting atop 20 genuine rubies which are encircled by 40 round genuine rubies.
On the left and right sides of the ring top, "STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS" is set in 14-karat yellow gold adorned with 145 diamonds. Additionally, 122 additional diamonds fill the remaining sides of the ring top, and 18 princess-cut genuine rubies drape the ring’s edge.
The left side of the ring displays the recipient’s name in 14-karat yellow gold with the side panel in the shape of the Panthers primary shield logo with a tab featuring either the recipient’s title within the organization or "PANTHERS." Within the shield and atop a 14-karat yellow gold sun is the recipient’s jersey number in diamonds or the team’s alternate mark.
On the right side of the ring, "FLORIDA" is displayed in 14-karat yellow gold, honoring the state of Florida. Inside the side panel is the year "2025" studded with 29 diamonds, along with the Panthers modernized "Leaping Cat" logo and a banner memorializing the back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships. Completing the right side of the ring, two palm trees surround the Panthers logo, representing the palms growing outside of Amerant Bank Arena.
“Seems a little bigger than last year,” smiled center Sam Bennett, who took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs. “You’ve got the two Cups on there. … I don’t know how you could top last year’s [championship ring], but they somehow managed to.”
Among the hidden details, Bennett also made a special mark.
In addition to the team’s path to the Stanley Cup and an iconic black rat, which represents the team’s unique post-win celebration, the inside of the ring also proudly features "WE APOLOGIZE TO NO ONE," which is engraved above the breakdown of each series win.
From his mouth at the Championship Parade to being etched into the ring, Bennett couldn’t believe it.
“I was shocked,” said Bennett, whose viral speech at the parade kicked off another wild summer of celebration in South Florida. “That was definitely a quote I said after a little too many drinks on the parade bus. It’s awesome. It’s cool. It’s very cool that they used it.”
After snapping some photos with their rings, players went home to prepare for what's next.
In less than 24 hours, they’ll be kicking off a quest for a third straight Stanley Cup.
Raising their latest championship banner into to the rafters, the Panthers will host the Chicago Blackhawks in their season opener at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET.
A pre-game celebration will be held at the Publix Plaza starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
“We’re back in it now,” said Bennett. “The focus shifts now. We’ve got work to do. It’s an emotional night seeing the banner go up. After the puck drops, it’s back to business.”
