Florida Panthers cancel public championship ring ceremony, citing concerns over Hurricane Milton
By TIM REYNOLDS
Posted 10/6/24
The Florida Panthers have canceled plans to receive their Stanley Cup championship rings at a public event Monday night, doing so out of concerns about Hurricane Milton as it bears down on the state. …
You must be a member to read this story.
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
Need to set up your free e-Newspaper all-access account? click here.
Non-subscribers
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
Register to comment
Click here create a free account for posting comments.
Note that free accounts do not include access to premium content on this site.
I am anchor
Florida Panthers cancel public championship ring ceremony, citing concerns over Hurricane Milton
Florida Panthers goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky makes a save during the third period of a preseason NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings in Quebec City, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press via AP)
Posted
By TIM REYNOLDS
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers have canceled plans to receive their Stanley Cup championship rings at a public event Monday night, doing so out of concerns about Hurricane Milton as it bears down on the state.
Fans had been invited to attend the event for a $20 donation that would have benefited the team's foundation, the United Negro College Fund and the United Way. Players will now receive their rings in a private ceremony on Monday, the team said.
For now, the Panthers’ opening regular-season game — and Stanley Cup banner unveiling — against the Boston Bruins is scheduled to go on as planned on Tuesday night in Sunrise.
“As this event would take resources from first responders and service providers, we have made the tough decision to cancel our Champions Ring Ceremony out of an abundance of caution for the safety of all involved," Panthers President and CEO Matthew Caldwell said Sunday night. “We will instead distribute our championship rings privately.”
Milton intensified Sunday and forecasters expect it will become a major hurricane, one that could approach the Tampa Bay area on the state's Gulf coast by Wednesday. Much of that side of the state is still dealing with the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene, and Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 51 counties in Florida — including Broward, where the Panthers play, along with neighboring Miami-Dade to the south and Palm Beach to the north.
DeSantis said the state is bracing for “a major disaster” in some areas.
The Panthers said they will remain in contact with state and local authorities while going ahead with plans to open the season on Tuesday.
“We are closely monitoring the situation,” Caldwell said, adding that the team “will continue preparing our arena and surrounding areas to safely welcome guests” for the opener.
!role~Preview!mt~photo!fmt~JPEG%20Baseline)
