The Florida Panthers’ 2025 playoff journey has been all about their performance on the ice, but there’s also a fun off-ice tradition that revolves around Dairy Queen. So, veteran players Brad Marchand and Nate Schmidt have really stepped up by organizing some fun team outings to Dairy Queen. Schmidt has been super generous, treating everyone on both trips!

Katie Engleson, the TV rinkside reporter, spilled the beans on this adventure. She posted on X, saying, “Carter Verhaeghe told me during our pregame interview that it’s usually Brad Marchand AND Nate Schmidt who organize their Dairy Queen excursions.”

Florida Panthers’ left winger Marchand, who really champions the brand, has been called the “biggest DQ advocate there is” by his teammate Carter Verhaeghe, who loves the cookie dough Blizzard as his go-to treat. This fun tradition really caught everyone’s eye during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals when cameras zoomed in on Marchand enjoying a bite from a spoon during the second intermission. After the game, Marchand joked that he was savoring a chocolate chip cookie dough Blizzard, showing off his love for Dairy Queen.

“That’s a little chocolate chip cookie dough Blizzard right there,” Marchand said. “You can’t beat it. It’s the best dessert in the world. So I’d better get a lifetime free supply of Dairy Queen now.”

But later on, he explained that he was actually enjoying honey, which has been a personal favorite of his since he was a kid. The Panthers’ trips to Dairy Queen and Marchand’s funny antics have really given the team some light-hearted moments during the intense playoffs, and fans just love them for it. The experiences we’ve shared really highlight the team’s chemistry and show how important it is to mix intense competition with some good camaraderie and fun. And the NHL franchise is already in the chase to win their consecutive Stanley Cup.

The Florida Panthers are on a roll

The Florida Panthers came back strong after falling behind by two goals, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 and securing their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final. The win really came down to a solid comeback and some impressive plays from a couple of Panthers players. The Hurricanes started strong, with Sebastian Aho scoring two goals and putting Carolina up 2-0 in the first period.

The Panthers really turned things around in the second period, proving just how determined they are. Matthew Tkachuk started the comeback with a goal, and then Evan Rodrigues and Anton Lundell got in on the action, putting the team up 3-2. Seth Jarvis scored to even things up for the Hurricanes in the third period.

Carter Verhaeghe got the go-ahead goal, thanks to some help from captain Aleksander Barkov, and then Sam Bennett sealed the deal with an empty-netter. The Panthers have taken down the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three seasons. Even if in Game 4, Carolina managed to snag a 3-0 shutout to dodge the sweep, you’ve got to hand it to Florida—they really showcased their depth and resilience.