In a prudent response to the imminent threat from Hurricane Milton, the Florida Panthers have decided to postpone their public event, originally scheduled for Monday night, to present their Stanley Cup Championship rings. The decision was taken out of concern about the safety of participants as Hurricane Milton approaches the state.
Postponed Donation Event to Good Causes
The fans were initially allowed to participate in the event with a donation of 20 dollars. This donation would have gone to the Panther’s Foundation, the United Negro College Fund and the United Way. The team members will receive the championship rings on Monday in a private ceremony, according to a statement released by the team.
Tuesday night’s game between the Boston Bruins and the Panthers, which will be the Panthers first regular-season game, and the unveiling ceremony of the Stanley Cup is still scheduled.
Safety is the first consideration in any decision.
Matthew Caldwell stated on Sunday that this decision had been made to avoid diverting funds that could have been used by first responders or service providers. “We made the difficult decision to cancel our Champions Ring Ceremony, prioritizing everyone’s safety,” he said.
“We’ll instead distribute our championship ring privately.”
Hurricane Milton is expected to become a severe hurricane. The storm is expected to reach the Tampa Bay region on the Gulf Coast of the state on Wednesday. This part of the state is still dealing with the aftermath from Hurricane Helene.
Governor Declares State of Emergency
In response to the impending disaster, Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across 51 counties in Florida — including Broward, home to the Panthers, neighboring Miami-Dade to the south, and Palm Beach to the north. DeSantis warned the state that a “major catastrophe” could occur in certain areas.
The Panthers will continue to maintain open communication with local and state authorities as they prepare for the season opener on Tuesday. Caldwell said that “we’re closely watching the situation” and that the team will “persist in preparing our arena and the surrounding areas to safely welcome guests” for Tuesday’s season opener.
Impact on Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning has completed its preseason schedule earlier than expected. The team cancelled their home exhibition finale against Nashville Predators as a result of ongoing preparations for hurricane Milton. This is the second cancellation for the Lightning-Predators, which was originally postponed to September 27 due the effects of hurricane Helene. The game has not been rescheduled. Tampa Bay will open its regular-season on Friday in Carolina.
