Florida Panthers Strike in WH – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
2:54 PM – Monday, February 3, 2025
President Donald Trump hosted the Florida Panthers, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, at the White House to commemorate their significant victory.
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On Monday, the Panthers marked the first professional sports team to visit the White House since Trump returned to office.
The president praised head coach Paul Maurice for his Stanley Cup ring, expressed admiration for captain Alexsander Barkov, and suggested that goalie Sergei Bobrovski has hall of fame potential.
“You fell in love with that team, the guts and the courage they had,” Trump remarked.
During the event, the Panthers gifted Trump “Trump” jerseys with numbers 47 and 45, along with a gold hockey stick.
Florida clinched their first championship title in franchise history in June, triumphing over the Edmonton Oilers in seven games after initially leading the series 3-0.
“I watched those games and I was a little bit worried,” Trump noted on Monday. “They lost three and I thought, ‘ooh, this is gonna be a tough loss.’ That would have been tough, but real champions can pull it out.”
Traditionally, championship-winning sports teams have visited the White House for decades.
“Both teams demonstrated tremendous willpower and athleticism, incredible talent,” Trump stated. “But ultimately, the Panthers stood firm and displayed what it takes to be champions. You can’t be a champion without facing challenges like that… It’s an amazing achievement.”
In addition to the Panthers’ delegation, attendees included NHL commissioner Gary Bettman; Florida Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody; as well as Florida Representatives Byron Donalds, Gus Bilirakis, Mike Haridopolos, Anna Paulina Luna, Jared Moskowitz, and Maria Elvira Salazar.
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