Florida Panthers cancel their Stanley Cup ring ceremony due to weather concerns

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Graham Montgomery
October 7, 2024 (1:04 PM)

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The Florida Panthers announced today that they have cancelled their Stanley Cup ring ceremony out of an abundance of caution as the state prepares for another hurricane.

Just days after Hurricane Helene hit Florida, the state is preparing for another storm, hurricane Milton. This has left much of the state in disarray as massive damage has already been done to vital infrastructure. Milton is expected to make landfall as a category two storm and is expected to have a major impact in and around Sunrise. As a result, the Panthers announced yesterday that the team has cancelled their Stanley Cup ring ceremony, and have instead elected to hand out the rings privately.

The Florida Panthers announced today that out of an abundance of caution, tomorrow's Champions Ring Ceremony will not continue as planned. Hurricane Milton has placed numerous counties in Florida under a state of emergency including Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.

Fans can expect a full refund for their donation at their point of purchase. The Florida Panthers Foundation will continue to support United Negro College Fund Fort Lauderdale (UNCF Fort Lauderdale) and United Way of Broward County's Mission United.

Fans seemed to largely understand why the team felt the need to make this move. However, it still stings, especially for fans who travelled for this event. Several revealed that they had flown in to Florida specifically for this event.

Unfortunately, the safety of those in Florida remains the top priority when dealing with severe weather. The team did confirm that fans who purchased tickets will be eligible for a refund, but obviously they will not be compensating fans for flights. It would be irresponsible for the team to go on with the event, especially considering the Tampa Bay Lightning have cancelled their pre-season game that was scheduled for today as well.