As the captain, Aleksander Barkov took the first lap of the rink at the Amerant Bank Arena with the Stanley Cup they had just secured on June 17, 2025. Then, however, it was not the alternate captains who took the lap. It was Nate Schmidt’s turn. The Florida Panthers were giving their first-time winners the honor of taking the lap of victory. “It was the best lap of hockey I’ve ever had in my life,” Schmidt said afterwards to NHL.com.

Winning the Stanley Cup is always the pinnacle for hockey players. And a month later, the feeling is still so surreal for Nate Schmidt, even though he is now a part of a new organization. But with the Utah Mammoth, the veteran defenseman wants to write a new story. And he thinks his new team is in the right position based on what he knows from his time with the Panthers. So, what is the Stanley Cup winner saying to the Utah fans?

Doing an interview with Hockey on Fanatics View, which they shared on YouTube on July 11, the NHL veteran talked about various things. Most talks involved his time at the Panthers, and one of them asked what it was like becoming a Stanley Cup Winner and being part of an amazing Playoff run. For the Utah franchise, who have lofty Stanley Cup aspirations, it would also be like hearing from someone who has lived through it. And Schmidt said exactly what they wanted to hear. “Man, it’s pretty euphoric.”

And he continued with what that moment was like for him, how it unraveled. “You know, when you see the old commercials, when guys can’t talk and they don’t know what to say. There is a lot of me behind that because you just, it’s everything I’d ever hoped it would be.” Talking about the Playoff journey he had at the Panthers, Schmidt shared, “There’s something about the playoffs.”

And he shared what it was like. “Why, it’s so magical, right? Like it’s magical because I did do something about it,” he said as he chuckled. Well, Nate Schmidt played his part when he needed to. He scored 3 and had 9 assists in 23 playoff games, which means he played in every tie of the 4 series. But it’s not just individual satisfaction that makes the Playoffs so much worth it. “It’s like it’s magical because you’re in a time where you’re only with the guys. You’re only playing hockey… There’s really nothing else.”

The Panthers were so tight as a unit that they would even have their lunch together, even the trainers and staff. The bond showed every time they got on the ice, Jonah Gadjovich coming to his teammate’s rescue and going hammer and tongs with Edmonton Oilers’ notorious defenseman Darnell Nurse. Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand, previously foes, were brothers in arms. Only the Florida Panthers mattered for them.

“You’re watching guys play cards or, you know, playing Xbox, whatever it may be. You’re just playing hockey like a young kid again,” shared the 33-year-old. “So, that’s what it is like for a player, and that’s what is like a fan base. You’re sitting there saying, ‘Wow, you see the extra, you know, 15 to 20% on every guy, seeing the hit; the guys are giving the extra 10 to 15 to 20% just to get an extra bit, like everything gets elevated to a point where it brings this a different energy to the rink.”

Just the one season with the Panthers, but Nate Schmidt was there to see how a Champion team ticks. And he feels Utah has the same vibes. “I really hope that I believe that Utah fans will be able to see that this year because this team has a chance.” Continuing, he said, “Like, I think this team can cut out a path for themselves without having to ask anybody else for help or anything. So that’s exciting for me, and that should be exciting for the families as well.”

Well, as one of the new teams on the block, the Utah Mammoth will hope they are starting something good with the signing of Schmidt. They have been making some savvy trades in the offseason, which the Panthers have been known to do. The key to success is always a strong team, which was there at Florida.

Everything clicked for the Florida Panthers in 2025

The Panthers didn’t just win the Stanley Cup in 2025, but they also set a few records along the way. The 2025 Playoffs campaign showed how far coach Paul Maurice has brought the team since 2022. While the players heap praise on their head coach, the head coach says this is the best bunch of players he has ever coached.

Add to that General Manager Bill Zito, who narrowly missed out on the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award in 2025. His trades of Seth Jones and Brad Marchand at the March Trade Deadline were inspired. Hey, don’t forget that even Nate Schmidt was brought in in the 2024 offseason to replace outgoing Brandon Montour.

The organization has been on a path that’s been well-planned, with the right people at the steering wheel at every juncture. On the ice, that included award-winning captain Aleksander Barkov, the unbeatable goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, or even the Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett. Every cog in the Florida Panthers’ machine moved in sync so that they could be back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions.