The Stanley Cup landed on school property at 2:51 p.m., Sept. 28, making it the first time the famed trophy reaches American Heritage. Following the Florida Panthers historic win of the Stanley Cup Championship back in June, the team has been able to enjoy their well-deserved win as well as tour the trophy.  Thanks to Skills Coach Max Ivanov and his daughter, fifth grader Milana Ivanov, Heritage became one of the stops on the Panther’s months-long tour.

Students and their families had the opportunity to take part in the festivities, with the event being advertised as an opportunity to take pictures with the trophy. Seventh grader Raphael Perez had the opportunity to view the trophy with his father. “I felt super excited that I could have the chance to see the Stanley Cup,” Perez said. “Since the Panthers were added to the NHL, in the 90’s, they finally won the first Stanley Cup, and this was not only a victory for the Panthers, but for everyone in South Florida. ”

The Sunrise-based team won the Stanley Cup for the first time after beating out the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League (NHL) championship. Coach Ivanov said the team is “celebrating their win while gearing up for the next season. Same team, same guys, we are ready.” After Ivanov’s daughter asked him to bring the cup to her school, Ivanov agreed. He said, “It’s a great school, and the [Stanley] Cup has been everywhere and now I can bring it here.” 

Heritage alumni, Courtney Lesser, even came to see the trophy while visiting her family from college. “It was so cool to see the Stanley Cup, especially as I was just by chance in town this weekend,” Lesser said. 

The Stanley Cup is the yearly trophy given out to the winners of the NHL Championship. The trophy has been dubbed the most iconic trophy in history, with each team being etched onto the trophy. Winning players get their names etched onto the cup, and the trophy is passed from each winning team to the next.

_{Following Ivanov’s welcome speech, the co-ed Heritage hockey team got its chance at taking a picture with the cup. (Photo/Emma Colarte Delgado)}

_{After their practice, the baseball team came to take pictures with the Cup. (Photo/Emma Colarte Delgado)}

_{Families were able to come and take images with the Cup. Pictured above include ( left to right, top to bottom): Senior Savannah Justice, senior Hailey Chambers, senior Jack Ryan, senior Rafael Niemtschik, senior Aubrey Caprara, seventh grader Daniel Zelfman with his father, junior Cecilia Gonzales-Jimenez with her father, seventh grader Raphael Perez with his father, alumni Country Lesser with her mother, the Solomon family, seventh grader Mariana Mathes with her father and the Delgado family. “Even though I’m not a Panthers fan it was still really cool to see the cup in person. It’s huge,” Caprara said. (Photos/Emma Colarte Delgado)}

_{Coach Ivanov makes a speech and carries the trophy out into the Stanley Cup to his car. (Photos/Emma Colarte Delgado)} 

_{At the bottom of the trophy, the names of the Florida Panthers 2023-2024 team are etched into the Stanley Cup, to remain there in their spot forever. (Photo/Emma Colarte Delgado)}

_{The crowds outside the 2500 building waited patiently for their turn with a photo. Groups were quickly brought through the building so everyone could get their photos in the 30-minute time period the trophy was at the school. (Photos/Emma Colarte Delgado)}

_{Ivanov brought the Cup to school in his car, and later brought the trophy inside for images. (Video/Emma Colarte Delgado)}