WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump hosted the Florida Panthers at the White House on Thursday to celebrate their second consecutive Stanley Cup victory.
Trump held a ceremony for the team in the East Room. The Panthers bested the Edmonton Oilers in both 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,” Trump remarked.
“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.
Trump noted the team made three straight finals appearances, including victories in 2024 and 2025, and a five-game loss to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in 2023.
“I just want to congratulate the unbelievable players,” the president 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.”
Captain Aleksander Barkov and winger Matthew Tkachuk presented Trump with rings, a Panthers jersey bearing his last name and number 47, and a gold stick.
Tkachuk told Trump the stick is “good for slashing,” prompting a laugh from the president.
Speaking ahead of the presentation, Tkachuk told Trump he was extremely honored to be visiting the White House as 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,” he told the president.
“I’m so proud to be an American, and so proud to be here with you and everybody else,” he added.