Panthers bask in 'summer of love' at Cup parade

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Champagne was swilled and spilled, cigars were smoked and the Stanley Cup was hoisted a fewer much times, each with astir 400,000 radical watching.

The Florida Panthers are getting beauteous bully astatine these parades.

The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions had their title parade and rally connected Fort Lauderdale Beach connected Sunday, the aforesaid setup arsenic past twelvemonth -- but this time, agleam sunshine greeted the champs arsenic opposed to downpours and lightning a twelvemonth ago.

"It's a small amended time contiguous than it was past year, but still, this is amazing," Panthers skipper Aleksander Barkov said. "What a time we're having with you guys."

Panthers manager Paul Maurice declared this "the summertime of love" for fans of the team, doing truthful portion wearing different garment featured his beloved cats Poppy and Penny -- a garment made by his daughter. He wore a akin garment to past year's parade, besides made by his daughter.

There were cries of "Thank you, Boston" erstwhile Brad Marchand -- who came to Florida successful a commercialized with the rival Bruins -- was introduced. Marchand, a escaped agent, again indicated that helium wants to beryllium backmost with the Panthers, who won this season's Cup by topping the Edmonton Oilers successful six games.

"I'm truthful blessed that I don't person to play against these guys anymore," Marchand said, pointing to his Florida teammates.

Panthers guardant Matthew Tkachuk drew large roars erstwhile helium told the assemblage that helium "would similar to apologize to perfectly ... cipher due to the fact that a treble champ does immoderate ... helium wants," copying a enactment utilized by Conor McGregor erstwhile helium became a treble UFC champion.

"I could get utilized to this," Tkachuk said arsenic helium looked retired astatine the assemblage -- immoderate of whom were successful the water, with astir others packed hundreds of yards heavy down the sand. Tkachuk past thanked squad proprietor Vincent Viola and wide manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito for trading for him 3 years ago, saying it changed his life.

Defenseman Aaron Ekblad, conscionable arsenic helium did past year, took a changeable astatine golfer Brooks Koepka who famously went to a Panthers crippled erstwhile to heckle the seasoned defenseman.

Forward Sam Reinhart, who scored 4 goals successful the clinching triumph implicit Edmonton, missed past year's parade due to the fact that a adjacent person was getting married. He didn't miss Sunday.

"The lone happening I've heard each time is however this is the champion parade that's ever been had successful South Florida," Reinhart said. "Thank God I missed past twelvemonth and not this year."

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky thanked the crowd, and said helium hoped determination was different parade adjacent year. And Sam Bennett, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, heard the assemblage chanting their hopes of him getting a caller declaration with the Panthers. So, helium ended his code with the aforesaid request.

"Eight much years, please," Bennett said.