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Panthers Forward Cancels Day With Stanley Cup

Former Panthers forward and Stanley Cup champion Kyle Okposo had his day with the trophy disrupted.

Jacob Punturi

Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Kyle Okposo (8) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Kyle Okposo (8) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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For the Florida Panthers, this offseason is filled with celebration. After winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history, each member of the team gets their day with the championship trophy.

Some of the Panthers made the absolute most of their time with the Cup. Team superstar Matthew Tkachuk spent a wild 24 hours with the trophy, parading it all around his hometown of St. Louis.

For others, like forward Kyle Okposo, spending their day with the Stanley Cup can be harded to accomplish. Okposo, a St. Paul, Minnesota native, had planned to bring the Cup back to his hometown. One of the stops on the tour was an appearance at the Pagel Arena in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Unfortunately, the event had to be cancelled at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. According to NHL and The Athletic writer for the Minnesota Wild, Michael Russo, the Stanley Cup never made it out of St. Louis after spending the day with the Tkachuks. An internet outage affected multiple airlines and prevented the Cup from arriving in Minnesota on time. Russo shared the unfortunate news via his X account.

"MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT especially if you're driving from a long distance for Kyle Okposo's public Stanely Cup apperance today at Pagel Arena," he tweeted. "It has to be CANCELLED due to the Stanley Cup being stuck in St. Louis."

Okposo was understandably upset about this development. Speaking to Russo, he shared his disappointment very simply.

"I'm crushed," he told Russo.

The good news is that officials are scrambling to find alternative methods to transport the Cup to Minnesota. Hopefully this is all sorted out soon and Okposo can have his much deserved day with the championship trophy he helped earn.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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