“Last year was kind of a dream. It was. That’s the right word; it was a dream come true, it was euphoric. This year was an achievement,” Paul Maurice told the press. The Florida Panthers’ head coach reiterated how last year’s Stanley Cup win felt surreal. After all, this is the team that entered the 2020s having missed seven playoffs in the 2010s. What’s more? The Oilers nearly beat them.

After taking a 3-0 series lead, the Edmonton Oilers handed three back to defeat and carried the momentum into Game 7. So, turning the tide in Game 7 truly felt special. However, this year, they were the ones to beat, and everyone worked to dethrone the Panthers. So winning the Stanley Cup again, and beating the Oilers decisively in Game 6, was an achievement the players wanted to celebrate. And they’ve been doing just that.

The Panthers absolutely let it rip this year, from celebrating with fans on the streets to back-to-back parties, the players have had a crazy time celebrating. Their clips from the E11even in Miami and the Elbo Room in Fort Lauderdale have set social media on fire. So when the press asked what Paul Maurice thought about his boys’ wild celebration, the coach backed them.

“I don’t have a social media thing that I go on, but my wife does,” said Maurice, and revealed how he’s been keeping track of the trophy. “It’s at the Elbo Room, ‘Oh! here it is,’ we’re tracking the cup. So I think they had a great time based on what I saw. And good for them, they’ve earned it,” Maurice said during the final-day presser, voicing no objection to how they’re celebrating.

And boy, are the Panthers celebrating with the Cup. From Matthew Tkachuk drinking champagne out of the Stanley Cup, to the team singing Queen’s ‘We are the Champions’ with the Cup at E11even, they’ve not let the silverware out of sight for a moment. What’s more? Hilarious clips, like Sam Rehinhat asking Aleksander Barkov, “What do you feel about Connor McDavid?” have filled the internet. Yet, the fans have gained a lot more than viral celebration clips.

Paul Maurice’s boys dropped some big news

The first thing that the media asked the Panthers after congratulating them on their win was the future of their three stars. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad, Conn Smythe winner and NHL playoff goals leader Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand will all become UFAs unless the Panthers can offer extensions. “I think we can bring them all back,” GM Bill Zito said right after winning the cup.

However, a limited cap space of $19 million and a salary hike for three star players raised experts’ eyebrows. Thankfully, besides the wild celebration clips that Paul Maurice spoke about, the party at E11evn and Elbo Room shed some much-needed clarity on what the players want. And it was none other than Sam Bennet who broke the ice in spectacular fashion, saying, “I ain’t f—– leaving.”

The clip showed fans going absolutely wild. However, Aaron Ekblad raised concerns with his “Thank you, fans. Thank you guys,” emotional confession. Thankfully, Brad Marchand gave the fans something to cheer about the following night at the Elbo Room. The 2025 Panthers’ playoff hero followed Sam Bennet’s footsteps and said, “I’m not f—– leaving.”

What’s more? When fans started chanting “Eight more years,” after hearing he’ll stay, Marchand dropped an even more concrete clue, flashing four fingers, indicating he’ll sign a four-year contract with the Cats. So it may be safe to assume that Paul Maurice’s Stanley Cup-winning crew will mostly remain intact when all is said and done.