The Stanley Cup is showing battle scars once more—this time courtesy of the Florida Panthers.
Following their second straight championship victory, the Panthers celebrated well into the night after clinching the title Tuesday on home ice, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in six games. During the raucous festivities that continued into Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, the iconic trophy suffered new damage: a crack in the bowl and a dent in the base.
The mishap adds to the long, colorful history of the 131-year-old Cup, which has been dropped, dented, and even dunked in bodies of water over the years. Made of silver and a nickel alloy, the 37-pound trophy is relatively soft and prone to damage during celebrations—something fans and players have come to expect.
The Hockey Hall of Fame, which oversees the care of the Stanley Cup, confirmed that the “keepers of the Cup” are already working on repairs and expect the trophy to be parade-ready by Sunday. The Panthers plan to celebrate their back-to-back titles with fans at a championship parade in South Florida.
Trophy damage has become something of a modern tradition as well. The Tampa Bay Lightning dented it during a 2021 boat parade, and the Colorado Avalanche put a sizeable ding in it on the ice after their 2022 win.
For Florida, the damage is just part of the joy. After years of playoff heartbreak, the Panthers now find themselves in elite company—Stanley Cup champions in consecutive seasons, and with the battered but beloved trophy once again along for the wild ride.
source: Philadelphia Inquirer, AP