One of the National Hockey League’s oldest trophies has received a bit of a Florida makeover.
The Prince of Wales Trophy is given annually to the winner of the Eastern Conference Final.
It’s been around for over 100 years, and it was the first major trophy ever won by the Florida Panthers.
That was back when Florida when they shocked the hockey world and advanced to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final in just their third season of existence.
More recently, the Panthers have claimed one of the few trophies with more history and significance, having their names engraved into the Stanley Cup not once, but twice over the past two seasons.
In order to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup, you must first march through the Eastern Conference and claim the Prince of Wales Trophy.
Over the past several seasons, when looking on one side of trophy, you could say it’s developed a bit of a Florida tan.
That’s because the plaque that recognizes Florida’s three straight Final appearances also displays the two that came before the Cats. They both happen to be the Panthers’ cross-state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In fact, just like Florida, the Lightning won two of their three straight trips to the Final.
A photo posted by Phil Pritchard, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Keeper of the Cup, shows the Florida-themed side of the Prince of Wales Trophy as it was being engraved with the Panthers name for their latest conference title.
Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) on XEastern Division Champs, 3 times in 3 years. Pretty amazing! The #StanleyCup Champion @FlaPanthers have their name on the Prince of Wales Trophy again. Congratulations! @NHL @HockeyHallFameBased off how Florida General Manager Bill Zito has built up the team, it would seem a safe bet to think the Panthers will see their name back on the trophy again in the not-too-distant future.
Florida’s roster is full of high-end players on team-friendly term deals that will see the team remain intact through the end of the decade.
Additionally, with the salary cap continuing to rise, Zito will have the possibility to add to Florida’s already deep and impressive roster.
Just don’t expect the Cats to put their paws on the trophy if they do bring it home again.
Back in 2023, after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes to advance to the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, not only did the Panthers touch the Prince of Wales Trophy, they carried that thing around all night like it was the Stanley Cup.
Then they lost to Vegas in five games.
Needless to say, when Florida beat the New York Rangers the following year to punch their return ticket to the Final, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice grabbed captain Sasha Barkov on the bench and told him not to touch it this time.
You better believe they didn’t touch it after beating Carolina again this past June.
Odds are, if they go back, they’ll keep playing the hits until they stop winning Stanley Cups.
Drink it in, folks.
It’s a good time to be a Panthers fan.
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Photo caption: Photo of the Florida Panthers name being engraved onto the Prince of Wales Trophy posted on social media by Phil Pritchard, the Keeper of the Cup. (Source: @keeperofthecup on X)
