Florida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues kept his own blog throughout the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. He has checked in regularly with behind-the-scenes access.
In his ninth and final entry, Rodrigues talks about the Panthers defeating the Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 to win their first Stanley Cup championship, sharing the moment with his family, and his early plans for his day with the Cup.
Rodrigues had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 24 postseason games, including seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven Cup Final games against the Oilers.
Winning the Stanley Cup was everything I could’ve imagined and more. We don’t like doing things the easy way, and it was all worth it in the end.
It was funny. Every series had a defining moment where Niko Mikkola went into the corner and put the puck up against the yellow. I looked up. There’s 12, 13, 14 seconds left. I’d just gotten off the ice and I kind of knew it was over. A couple of rats came down early with a few seconds left, but we got the job done, and it’s just pure elation.
Having the family here, it makes it even more special. Going to work with these guys. Going to battle with these guys every single day. Getting to celebrate it at home with my family, my kids. Seeing them run around and high-five everyone around the glass. I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now. It’s happiness, joy, elation, relief. I don’t even know the word to describe what I’m feeling. Bliss. Every word I can think of. And my kids can take home as many of the plastic rats as they want.
I couldn’t care less about the personal statistics. We won. We win as a group. We lose as a group. We didn’t make it easy, but again, we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
I don’t know yet how I’m going to celebrate my day with the Cup. I have to get my daughter Ella Grace (born in August) in it. Other than that, I don’t really have plans. Maybe make a nice margarita out of it. Those are the two things I have in the back of my mind right now.
There were so many plays in the third period that got us this victory. Every guy contributed. Sergei Bobrovsky made big saves. There were big blocks, so many defining moments in that third. I can’t wait to watch it again, to be honest.
