NHL: Stanley Cup Final-Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers - Source: Imagn — NHL insider reported that Florida Panthers broke the Stanley Cup during celebrations (Source: Imagn)

"Did Bennett elbow it?" "Also broke Edmonton again": NHL fans react as Panthers seemingly break Stanley Cup while celebrating win over Oilers

Published Jun 18, 2025 14:43 GMT

The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup for the second straight year after beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6. The team celebrated on the ice with fans cheering loudly.

During the celebrations, the Stanley Cup appeared to get damaged. NHL insider Gino Hard posted on X, saying:

"The Panthers straight up broke the Stanley Cup before it even left the ice tonight."

He also shared a photo showing a visible crack on the trophy.

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It’s not clear how the damage happened. The Cup has been through a lot over the years. This is not the first time it has been damaged during celebrations. In 2022, Colorado Avalanche player Nicolas Aube-Kubel dropped it on the ice. It got dented but was fixed later.

The damage to the Cup should not be a big problem. It will likely be repaired before the players take it on their victory tour. The NHL is used to fixing these kinds of issues.

But fans quickly reacted to the news on X.

"They injure everything they see. Did Bennett elbow it?" One fan joked.

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"They also broke Edmonton again." Another fan said.

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"It’s not the first time and it probably won’t be the last either. They’ll fix it and no one will ever know it happened." one fan said.

Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"They broke the curse… and then broke the Cup. Balance." a fan wrote.

"Remember that time it was buried in the St. Lawrence river then used as a plant pot in an antique shop for 5 years. I think the trophy will be OK 🤷‍♂️" one fan mentioned.

"This is why tropical and desert teams shouldn’t be in the league. They especially shouldn’t get all the help they do. It’s just ruining the sport. Now it ruined the cup." a fan shared his opinion.

Panthers won 2025 Stanley Cup after defeating Oilers again

The Florida Panthers won the 2025 Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6. The game took place at Amerant Bank Arena. This is Florida’s second consecutive season defeating the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Last season, they defeated them in Game 7 with a 2-1 score, but this time they did it with ease in Game 6.

Despite an average regular season performance, they played strongly throughout the playoffs. They defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes to reach the Final.

Sam Bennett scored 15 goals in the playoffs and won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was also strong in the net.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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