The NHL’s Florida Panthers received championship rings Monday, Oct. 6, and they pulled another rat trick.
Like the rings from 2024, the latest edition includes an engraved rat, a nod to the fans’ tradition of throwing plastic rats onto the rink after victories. A lot of rats and a lot of victories have piled up with the Panthers having won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
The Panthers received the rings in a private event at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and they feature more than vermin. The rings, handcrafted in white and yellow gold, include more than 450 diamonds and genuine rubies, according to a press release issued by the Panthers.
Two Stanley Cup trophies, one for 2024 and one for 2025, sit atop the ring. The sides of the ring display the player’s number, the championship year and “BACK TO BACK CHAMPIONS.’’
In a nod to the Panthers’ home state, the rings also feature palm trees. Those are pricey palms, too, with diamonds cascading down that side of the ring. Between the diamonds and rubies, the total gemstone count is 16.15 carats of gemstones, according to the Panthers.
Engraved in the interior of the ring is one of the team’s mottos: “We Apologize To No One.”
They’re certainly not apologizing for the rat.
Perhaps more will hit the rink Tuesday, Oct. 7 when the Panthers raise the 2025 Stanley Cup championship banner during their home opener at Amerant Bank Arena against the Chicago Blackhawks.