Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump hosted the Florida Panthers at the White House on Thursday to celebrate the team’s second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
The president welcomed the players, coaches and staff during a ceremony in the East Room, honoring the Panthers for their victories over the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Finals.
“It’s an honor to welcome to the White House the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers – unbelievable team, unbelievable athletes, players,” President Trump said.
“These men are responsible for the greatest feats in Panthers’ franchise history, and beyond that… I mean, you compare them to some of the greatest hockey teams ever,” he added.
President Trump noted that the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final three years in a row, winning titles in 2024 and 2025 after falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in 2023.
“I just want to congratulate the unbelievable players,” President Trump said. “They have something different because I watched some of the games, and it looked like it was going to be tough, and you pulled them out. You pulled them out for years.”
During the ceremony, team captain Aleksander Barkov and winger Matthew Tkachuk presented Trump with championship rings, a Panthers jersey bearing his last name and the number 47, and a gold hockey stick.
Earlier, Tkachuk told Trump the visit carried special meaning for him as both a Stanley Cup champion and an American.
“I just want to say, on behalf of the whole organization and mainly the players, we’re so honored to be here being an American. I know I said it last year, but I mean, nothing beats this,” Tkachuk said.
“I’m so proud to be an American, and so proud to be here with you and everybody else,” he added.