The Florida Panthers proved they're still the most dominant team in the NHL. After beating the Edmonton Oilers by an emphatic 5-1 score line in Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, the Panthers earned their second consecutive championship.
It was also the franchise's second title ever, but it's now one of many in a line of excellence originating from the state of Florida.
The Panthers are the second team from Florida to win a Stanley Cup in the last decade. Their neighbors, and fierce rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning also won back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021. What's even more is that both squads have participated in every Stanley Cup Final from 2020-2025.
If you had to pick one, which would it be? 🧐 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/tPIybTSd7b
— NHL (@NHL) June 20, 2025
That's a dominant stretch rarely seen in sports, let alone hockey. But somehow the state of Florida just builds championship teams different.
Panthers' championship runs mirror that of other legendary Florida franchises
They say history doesn't repeat itself, it just rhymes. Typically it takes a hundred years or so for significant historical events to be reflected in modern day ongoings. But for Florida sports teams, just a half century will do.
The Panthers became the third team from South Florida specifically to lose in a championship final before going on to win two straight titles in their respective sports.
First, the 1971 Miami Dolphins lost Super Bowl VI 24-3 to the Dallas Cowboys. Then the Don Shula-led squads rattled off victories in Super Bowls VII and VIII, the former of which capped off their famous undefeated season.
Next, the 2010 Miami Heat fell four games to two against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. Then the dream team featuring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh conquered the league in 2012 and 2013.
Could the Panthers be the next big sports dynasty?
It's been 37 years since an NHL team has won three consecutive Stanley Cups. None in the salary cap era have been able to complete the trifecta and that's likely for good reason.
Florida is likely to lose some significant pieces from its championship roster to free agency but there's still a chance it could find itself back here again in 2026. Those would be quite the bragging rights over rival Tampa Bay who came up short in 2022 in its bid for a three-peat.
The Panthers could surprise sports fans as being the first in quite a long while to establish a dynasty in such a fashion. Not even the Kansas City Chiefs could win three Super Bowls in a row this past February.
But overall, the Panthers and Lightning have proven Florida is the home of champions in this decade - or at the very least the state of hockey. It almost feels like the plot of Slap Shot was a prophecy of sorts.