WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Excitement remains high as the Florida Panthers celebrate their second consecutive Stanley Cup victory.
This Sunday, fans across the state will gather for a parade to honor the team’s achievement. But for some fans, the celebration goes beyond the streets. They want to commemorate this historic championship in a more permanent way.
With ink.
WATCH: Superfan adds iconic tattoo to his collection
While getting a tattoo can be a big decision, for Panthers fans, it’s a celebration of their team’s success.
Steven Lopez, owner of Water Street Tattoo in downtown West Palm Beach, has seen this dedication firsthand.
“We had two people come in yesterday to celebrate the championship win. One was a Stanley Cup, the other was a hockey puck.”
Brendan Riley, a self-proclaimed superfan, reflects on the team’s journey.
“They weren't the best team for the longest time. Now they're really good," he said.
Riley got into the chair to get an iconic tattoo of Florida Panthers player Jonah Gadjovich.
"I was like, I have to get it on my body. That would be awesome.”
He adds that the tattoo commemorates a moment that “kind of switched the momentum in the series” during Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers, when Gadjovich participated in a massive brawl between the two teams.
His new tattoo will join a sleeve of sports icons that includes Kobe, Dwyane Wade, and Michael Jordan, along with another Panthers tattoo he received last year for the team’s first-ever championship win. He added a new marking to that tattoo, updating it with "2025 Champions."
After getting inked, Riley said, “It feels like I'm almost part of it.”
But Riley isn’t done yet; he plans to leave space for more tattoos, in anticipation of next season.
“Hopefully they could three-peat,” he said.
Lopez reflects on the significance of such dedication: “I think it’s incredible that people ride that hard for teams that they are willing to mark their bodies for the rest of their lives.”
Riley plans to proudly show off the tattoo of Gadjovich at the parade, celebrating alongside his fellow Panthers fans.
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