Drier than last year’s parade, proud Panthers party at beach

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Champagne was swilled and spilled, cigars were smoked and the Stanley Cup was hoisted a few more times, all with about 400,000 people watching.

The Florida Panthers are getting pretty good at these parades.

The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions had their championship parade and rally on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, the same setup as last year — except this time, bright sunshine greeted the champs as opposed to downpours and lightning a year ago.

“It’s a little better day today than it was last year, but still, this is amazing,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “What a day we’re having with you guys.”

Panthers coach Paul Maurice declared this “the summer of love” for fans of the team, doing so while wearing a shirt that featured his beloved cats Poppy and Penny — a shirt made by his daughter. He wore a similar shirt at last year’s parade, also made by his daughter.

There were cries of “Thank you, Boston” when Brad Marchand — who came to Florida in a trade with the rival Bruins — was introduced. Marchand, a free agent, again indicated that he wants to be back with the Panthers, who won this season’s Cup by topping the Edmonton Oilers in six games.

“I’m so happy that I don’t have to play against these guys anymore,” Marchand said, pointing to his Florida teammates.

Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk drew loud roars when he told the crowd that he “would like to apologize to absolutely … nobody because a double champ does whatever … he wants,” copying a line used by Conor McGregor when he became a double UFC champion.

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“I could get used to this,” Tkachuk said as he looked out at the crowd — some of whom were in the water, with most others packed hundreds of yards deep down the sand. Tkachuk then thanked team owner Vincent Viola and general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito for trading for him three years ago, saying it changed his life.

Defenseman Aaron Ekblad, just as he did last year, took a shot at golfer Brooks Koepka who famously went to a Panthers game once to heckle the veteran defenseman.

Forward Sam Reinhart, who scored four goals in the clinching win over Edmonton, missed last year’s parade because a close friend was getting married. He didn’t miss Sunday.

“The only thing I’ve heard all day is how this is the best parade that’s ever been had in South Florida,” Reinhart said. “Thank God I missed last year and not this year.”

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky thanked the crowd and said he hoped there was another parade next year. And Sam Bennett, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, heard the crowd chanting their hopes of him getting a new contract with the Panthers. So, he ended his speech with the same request.

“Eight more years, please,” Bennett said.