Hours after the Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup, the 132-year-old trophy got a proper Fort Lauderdale welcome: After-party at Matthew Tkachuk’s house, filling up on early-morning beers with a few hundred new friends at the landmark Elbo Room, then a celebratory flop in the Atlantic Ocean.
The impromptu Tuesday morning party at the iconic corner of Las Olas Boulevard and State Road A1A began before 8 a.m. when ringleader Tkachuk decided to bring the Cup to one of his favorite bars, where he was joined on the second-floor balcony by Panthers stars Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour, Gustav Forsling, Anthony Stolarz and others.
After partying in anonymity for some time, word got out on social media and a boisterous crowd of fans continued to grow outside the Elbo Room, numbering around 300 to 400 by noon. So many people, in fact, that city police closed the intersection for about an hour due to “heavy pedestrian traffic.”
A chorus of “We Are the Champions” was interrupted by the chant: “We want beer!” Tkachuk happily obliged, raising the Cup and slopping its chilly contents (Bud Light and Michelob Ultra) over the railing onto open-mouthed fans below.
The decision to extend the after-party to the Elbo Room was a late-night, spur-of-the-moment idea, Tkachuk said. But the location was a no-brainer.
“I come here a lot,” Tkachuk said, smiling. “I have not necessarily gone to bed yet, but it’s all good. I’m a little tired, but I got my second wind, so I’m ready to go.”
Moments later, Tkachuk hoisted the 35-pound chalice over his head and led a couple hundred fans on a march across A1A onto the beach. Tkachuk, Bennett and other players carried the trophy into the ocean, baptized it in water and gave it a celebratory hoist overhead, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Panthers’ Chief Operating Officer Bryce Hollweg was part of the Elbo Room celebration, but said the party was an “organic,” player-led event, just more evidence of the close personal connections that fuel the squad.
“What an incredible scene,” he said.
Hollweg said the meaning of Monday night’s historic win had yet to sink in, but the emotions he felt at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise as the minutes and seconds counted down were still palpable.
“I could barely watch. I was literally kneeling on the floor on one knee just waiting for it to end,” he said. “Incredible, incredible.”
In its casual setting and unaffected vibe — sun, swimsuits, cheap beer and, oh, look, superstars! — the Elbo Room party felt very South Florida, or perhaps more precisely, very Fort Lauderdale.
When the Miami Heat won the first NBA championship of the Big 3 era in 2012, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had to sneak into the luxe LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau resort about 3 a.m. for a VIP-only celebration.
At the Elbo Room on Tuesday, the Cats’ star defenseman Gustav Forsling wore an off-the-rack Panthers T-shirt with his own name on it.
On the sidewalk outside the Elbo Room, Jade Barcy, 29, of Hollywood, a fan for two decades, described herself as “definitely a Bobby fan,” with a growing appreciation for Aleksander Barkov. “He’s a great captain.”
Invoking Marvel comics lore, she noted that with the Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory, each of South Florida’s four major teams has now won a championship.
“Like Thanos with all the stones,” she said, laughing.
Jimmy Porcaro, 70, of Fort Lauderdale, spoke with some emotion as the oceanfront celebration continued.
“I wondered whether I would ever see this day,” Porcaro said. “I’ve been a fan since the beginning. I thought the (Stanley Cup) might not happen for me.”
Across town, Panthers fans flocked to the Baptist Health IcePlex on Tuesday for a chance to snag limited-edition merchandise to rep their newly crowned champions.
“We’re psyched,” Barbara LoMoriello said. “Just psyched up.”
For Kathy Dorsey, a Miami native who’s been following the team since they played at the Miami Arena, jumping back on the Panther train was a no-brainer.
“We’re ride-or-die and stayed with them when it got dicey,” Dorsey said. “When Game 7 happened and we won, I had to get a T-shirt.”
Nearby, Mayor Dean Trantalis met with reporters outside the IcePlex, where he had watched the “nail-biter” of a game Monday night with hundreds of fans.
“I’ve never seen a more excited, hooting-hollering crowd,” he said.
Trantalis said the Panthers will host a championship parade Sunday on Fort Lauderdale beach, beginning at 11 a.m. at Riomar Street and ending at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, near B Ocean Resort.
“Fort Lauderdale is already on the map,” Trantalis said. “We’re a year-round destination and this just adds to it.”
Staff writers Rafael Olmeda, Susannah Bryan and Lauren Ferrer contributed to this report.
