By now, it’s common knowledge that the Florida Panthers’ stars have developed a taste for Dairy Queen’s “Blizzards.” Ever since Brad Marchand introduced the Cats to the sweet delight, the NHL franchise has hardly been able to keep its distance from the ice cream chain. And the loyalty paid off! But for the Charlotte Checkers, not so much.

After Marahcnd scored the match-winning goal in OT of Game 2 against the Oilers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, Sam Bennett was sure the former’s thunderous skill on the ice was the result of a good ol’ DQ treat. “I think Marchy grabbed a Blizzard,” Bennett jokingly said. Even the night before Game 6, the Cats contingent was seen visiting a DQ outlet. And look what that brought: A stupendous 5-1 win over Edmonton to bag the Panthers their second consecutive Stanley Cup! The Charlotte Checkers were desperate to replicate the same success, but all went in vain.

The Panthers’ AHL affiliate lost 2-3 to the Abbotsford Canucks in Game 6 to narrowly miss out on winning the 2025 Calder Cup. However, the Checkers, taking a cue from their NHL comrades, did their best to thwart off their losing chances. In a post on X from June 23, the AHL team showed how they resorted to pledging their faith to Dairy Queen in hopes of winning their second Calder Cup.

“Can’t stop now,” reads the caption of the X post, as a DQ cup can be seen placed on the railings of the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, before Game 6 kicked off. The social media update also tagged the Florida Panthers to underscore that both the Checkers and the Cats are riders of the same boat. But it’s not like the home team gifted the game on a silver plate to the Canucks.

John Leonard put Charlotte ahead with a goal less than three minutes into Monday’s game before Jack Devine doubled the lead just minutes later. However, the Canucks cut the lead by half thanks to a power play they received late in the first period. Then, in the second period, Abbotsford equalized and went ahead of the Checkers just before the period ended.

Heartbreaking, isn’t it? Then again, as the 2025 Stanley Cup postseason showed, Canadian teams have a knack for coming from behind and winning games under tremendous pressure. But hey, credit where it’s due, right? And to be fair, the Panthers have a way beefier roster than the Checkers, which we presume helped significantly for the Cats’ successful title defense campaign.

The Charlotte Checkers didn’t have the necessary firepower to pull off a Panthers

The Panthers finished the regular season in third place in the Atlantic Division. A better regular season result was dished out by the Checkers, who came in among the leaders in the division at the end of the AHL regular season. However, lucky for the Miami team, before the postseason commenced, its roster was back at full strength. From Matthew Tkachuk, who incurred a lower-body injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, to ex-Bruins captain Brad Marchand, the lineup looked stacked to the brim.

And boy, did those guys pour their hearts out on the ice! While NHL pundits kept eliminating the Cats in their Stanley Cup winner predictions, Paul Maurice’s boys kept pushing and winning. Marchand, especially, was a notable force that factored into the team’s second Stanley Cup triumph. With 20 points in 23 playoff games, the veteran Canadian winger finished his debut run with the Panthers on a high note.

But we do suspect that GM Bill Zito’s leniency toward Marchand’s dietary infractions did help the hockey star to ease into his new shoes. So what do you think the Checkers should try out in order to imitate the Cats’ NHL success in the AHL circuit? Share your suggestions below!