SUNRISE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers’ 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on June 17 sparked jubilation among American hockey fans, who wasted no time taunting their northern neighbors. The win marked Florida’s second consecutive championship, extending the Canada Stanley Cup drought to an agonizing 32 years since the Montreal Canadiens’ 1993 triumph.
Chants of “U-S-A!” echoed through Amerant Bank Arena as fans reveled in the Panthers’ dominance, with social media amplifying the mockery. Posts on X declared, “Canada, the ‘hockey nation,’ hasn’t sniffed the Cup since ’93,” while others jabbed, “Maybe Canada can annex a Cup win as the 51st state.” The trolling leaned into recent geopolitical tensions, with fans citing President Donald Trump’s trade war rhetoric to fuel their barbs.
“It’s been over three decades, and Canada’s still chasing ghosts,” said Miami resident Jake Torres, 29, waving a Panthers flag. “They call hockey their sport, but we’re owning it down here in the Sunshine State.”
The Oilers, led by Connor McDavid, fell short despite a valiant comeback from a 3-0 series deficit, intensifying Canadian frustration. Edmonton’s loss marked the seventh time since 1993 that a Canadian team reached the Final only to falter, a fact American fans gleefully highlighted.
“Thirty-two years and counting,” smirked Boston fan Emily Chen, 34, on X. “Canada’s got more moose than Cup rings.”
While the taunts stung, some Canadian fans, like Alberta native Carson Duggan, remained defiant. “We’ll be back,” she said. “Hockey’s still ours.”
The Panthers’ repeat, powered by Brad Marchand’s six goals and Sergei Bobrovsky’s goaltending, cements U.S. hockey’s rise, leaving Canada to ponder its prolonged drought.
Sure, the majority of the sport’s stars are from up north, but it’s still fun to troll regardless, right?
At this rate, I think it’s more likely Canada gets a team in the SEC to go after a coveted SEC Championship. Now, winning the greatest conference in football? Good luck with that … Just ask Three-Year Letterman.
Vamos USA!
In the meantime, check out what fans had to say about writer Jeff Gluck on Tuesday.
