For some fans, this year’s Winter Classic was a full-circle moment.
Neal, who has been a Panthers fan for the past 18 years, said, “To see the Panthers gain national recognition after being in the Stanley Cup Final for three years and facing the New York Rangers, who I was there to win the Stanley Cup in 1994, and to be here now, 31 years later, celebrating the Panthers’ success against the Rangers only adds to the joy.”
The Panthers have ignited the local market and catapulted themselves to the center of the hockey world over the past four seasons, enjoying hosting an All-Star Game (2023), appearing in three Stanley Cup Finals (2023-25) and winning back-to-back Stanley Cups (2024-25).
“Winning is the best thing ever,” Justin said. “It was amazing. It was unbelievable.”
Now teams can include the Winter Classic on their resumes.
“It’s great,” said Daniel, one of the Cats’ biggest fans. “I don’t think a lot of fans thought we would get it because it doesn’t get that cold, but it felt really great to have it here and celebrate our success.”
Prior to the game, fans were able to attend the 2026 Enterprise NHL Pregame Outdoor Fan Festival. The festival included a Role Models concert, TNT pregame show, activations, photos, games, and more.
Fans also got to meet Stanley Cupp, a close friend of the Panthers.
