President Trump Applauds Florida Panthers For Keeping Stanley Cup Out Of Canada For 32nd Straight Year
The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was the 1993 Montreal Canadiens.
For the second year in a row, the Florida Panthers headed to Washington DC, and just like they did in 2025, they brought some gifts with them.
The Panthers will play the Washington Capitals on Saturday, but they headed to town a bit early to drop by the White House and bring some gifts to President Donald Trump.
Like they did last year, captain Aleksander Barkov and alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk — neither of whom has appeared in a game this season, oddly enough, though Tkachuk is reportedly close to a return and expected to suit up for Team USA at the Olympics — presented the president with a Panthers jersey and golden stick.
In traditional Tkachuk fashion, he mentioned to the president that the heavy golden stick was good for slashing.
They also gave the president a pair of Stanley Cup championship rings, which were presented by defenseman Seth Jones. He is out of commission due to injury (this Panthers team is beat up, man. That's what a couple of deep playoff runs will do to you). He was hit by a puck early in the Panthers' Winter Classic loss to the New York Rangers in Miami.
The star blueliner is week to week, but like Tkachuk, is expected to be back in time to suit up for Team USA in Milan.
President Trump made some remarks of his own and made sure to congratulate the Panthers on keeping the Stanley Cup in the United States for the 32nd straight year.
I mentioned that Tkachuk and Jones are on the Olympic roster for Team USA, and Tkachuk took a moment to make some remarks that should at least be in the conversation for the "C" when the Americans get to Italy in a few weeks.
"We are so honored to be here," Tkachuk said from the podium (or lectern, I can never remember which is which). "Being an American — I know I said it last year — but nothing beats this. I'm so proud to be an American and so proud to be here with you and everybody else."
Matthew Tkachuk gets it.
Give him the C… or at least an A.