WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Cats are heading back to the nation’s capital.
Making a return trip to the White House, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will be honored by President Donald J. Trump during a special visit on Jan. 15.
A storied tradition, sports teams have been visiting the White House since the 19th century, with the Pittsburgh Penguins being the first Stanley Cup champions to be honored in 1991.
Becoming just the 10th franchise in NHL history to pull off a rare championship repeat, the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup with a decisive 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers – who they also beat in 2024 – in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 17, 2025.
Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe each produced a team-high 23 points during Florida’s playoff run, with Reinhart making history by becoming just the second player to score four goals in a Cup-clinching game during a stellar showing in Game 6.
Taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs, Sam Bennett scored 15 goals for the Panthers. Becoming just the first European-born player to captain a team to back-to-back Stanley Cups, Aleksander Barkov registered 22 points.
Teaming up to form arguably the most-formidable third line in the history of the playoffs, Brad Marchad, a key acquisition at the trade deadline, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen combined for 21 goals, 36 assists and a staggering +47 plus/minus rating during the run.
Between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky went 16-7 with a .914 save percentage.
Under the guidance of President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito and head coach Paul Maurice, the Panthers have reached the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last three seasons, with their championships in 2024 and 2025 being the franchise’s first.
During last year’s visit to the White House, the Panthers, whose visit follows that of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in April of 2025, presented President Trump with a golden hockey stick and framed jersey with the Nos. 45 and 47 on the back to mark his two non-consecutive terms in office.
Panthers players and staff were also given a private tour of the historic Oval Office.
“I’ve grown up seeing highlights and little bits of teams going [to the White House] after a championship and never really thought that it could be me one day,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said following the team’s first visit to the White House in February of 2025. “To finally be here after winning the Stanley Cup, it’s a culmination of a great year.”
Once the ceremony is underway around 4 p.m. ET, a stream of the event is expected HERE.
