The first 25 years of the Florida Panthers’ existence was anything but synonymous with hockey success. The Panthers made the NHL postseason only five times and advanced past the second round just once, all while cycling through 10 coaches.
Now, they are hockey’s most dominant franchise — again.
On Tuesday, Florida won its second consecutive Stanley Cup title by outlasting Edmonton in a repeat of last year’s final, winning 5-1 in Game 6 to continue its nearly overnight transformation into one of hockey’s most successful franchises. It was the third straight season Florida had played for a title, a run that coincides with the hiring of coach Paul Maurice.
Sam Reinhart #13 of the Florida Panthers celebrates with Carter Verhaeghe #23 and Gustav Forsling #42 after scoring his third goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena, in Sunrise, Fla., on Tuesday.Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
Edmonton won the series opener in overtime, only for Florida to rebound with wins in Game 2, in double overtime, and Game 3. When Edmonton evened the series with an overtime win in Game 4, Florida took a 3-2 series lead by