The Panthers might be a bit too comfortable with the Stanley Cup after winning it for the second consecutive year.
The iconic prize appeared to be damaged at some point during Florida’s celebration on Tuesday night, following a 5-1 win over the Oilers in Game 6. It wasn’t immediately clear how the trophy was damaged, but the Panthers went through the tradition of handing off the Stanley Cup to each player and coach before taking it into the locker room.
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While the Stanley Cup is revered, it’s becoming a common sight in South Florida. The Panthers survived a blown 3-0 series lead to win the Stanley Cup Final over Edmonton in 2024, and they needed one fewer game to get the job done this year despite dropping Game 1. The Panthers are the third NHL team in the last decade alone to go back-to-back, joining the Penguins and Lightning.
Here’s what you need to know about the damage to the Stanley Cup.
MORE STANLEY CUP FINAL:
Panthers break the Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup appeared to have a small crack near the top before it went back to the locker room with the Panthers on Tuesday night.
The Panthers straight up broke the Stanley Cup before it even left the ice tonight 😳😭
(Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire) pic.twitter.com/KyDeNdREFz
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) June 18, 2025
On Wednesday, another angle showed a larger, newer dent in the bottom of the trophy as the Panthers continued their celebration.
Most of the Panthers The Cup
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Playing through injury pic.twitter.com/XrPo8EYvqe— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 18, 2025
The exact moment the Cup became damaged isn’t clear, but it isn’t unprecedented for the Stanley Cup to break despite its special place in hockey history. With the Cup traveling all over the world for celebrations, it’s bound to absorb some damage along the way. One of the most famous instances happened before it even left the ice in 2022, when Colorado’s Nicolas Aube-Kubel slipped with the trophy in hand and dented it.
Another angle of Nicolas Aube-Kubel tripping and denting the Stanley Cup ESPN pic.twitter.com/dmpojGsUGb
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) June 27, 2022
Everyone wants to get their hands on a championship trophy, and not all hands are delicate. Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski dented the Lombardi Trophy after a Super Bowl win, while Tom Brady narrowly avoided disaster when he tossed the Lombardi from one boat to another during the Buccaneers’ championship parade.
Earlier in 2025, U.S. vice president JD Vance lost part of the College Football Playoff championship trophy while welcoming Ohio State to the White House.
As it was in 2022, the Stanley Cup will be repaired behind the scenes as it prepares for another journey around the world with Panthers players.
MORE: Panthers championship parade details
Broken Stanley Cup pictures
Images from the Panthers’ postgame celebration show a small but obvious crack near the top of the Stanley Cup, causing part of the trophy to bend inward:
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