10 CHL Alumni Power the Florida Panthers to Back-To-Back Stanley Cups

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10 CHL Alumni Power the Florida Panthers to Back-To-Back Stanley Cups

June 18, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - As the Florida Panthers edged the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, 10 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) alumni hoisted the Stanley Cup, playing key roles in Florida's successful title defense and securing their second National Hockey League (NHL) championship in franchise history. In total, five Ontario Hockey League (OHL) alumni, three from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and two from the Western Hockey League (WHL) lifted the Stanley Cup last night as players of the champion Florida Panthers.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL) was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP, marking the ninth time in the past 12 years that a CHL alumnus has received the honour. The 28-year-old from Holland Landing, Ont., led all skaters with 15 goals during the playoffs - setting a new Panthers franchise record - and he also established an NHL record with 13 road goals in a single postseason. Bennett's standout performance was instrumental in helping Florida become the 10th franchise in league history to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.

In addition to Bennett's standout performance, the Panthers' playoff scoring was driven by three fellow CHL alumni who led the team in scoring with 23 points: Kootenay Ice (WHL) graduate Sam Reinhart, who tallied 11 goals and 12 assists in 21 games; London Knights (OHL) alumnus Matthew Tkachuk, with eight goals and 15 assists in 23 games; and Niagara IceDogs (OHL) product Carter Verhaeghe, who added seven goals and 16 assists over 23 games.

The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were also guided by the steady leadership of head coach Paul Maurice, a CHL alumnus who played four seasons with the Windsor Spitfires (1984-88) and captured an OHL championship behind the bench with the Detroit Jr. Red Wings in 1995. At 58 years old, Maurice became the second-oldest head coach in NHL history to lead a team to consecutive Stanley Cup titles, trailing only OHL alumnus Scotty Bowman, who accomplished the feat with the 1998 Detroit Red Wings at age 64.

Although they fell just short of their ultimate goal, CHL alumni and Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid (Erie Otters / OHL) and Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL) finished the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the NHL's top scorers, each posting 33 points. McDavid's standout postseason also earned him a place in the record books, as he became the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach 150 career playoff points- doing so in just 95 games- trailing only fellow CHL legends Wayne Gretzky (Soo Greyhounds / OHL, 68 GP) and Mario Lemieux (Laval Voisins / QMJHL, 86 GP).

Over the course of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, several CHL alumni were also recognized for their outstanding 2024-25 seasons with top NHL honours. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) graduate Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning) claimed the Ted Lindsay Award, while Ottawa 67's (OHL) alumnus Sean Monahan (Columbus Blue Jackets) received the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Former Saginaw Spirit (OHL) head coach Spencer Carberry (Washington Capitals) was awarded the Jack Adams Award, and current Saginaw Spirit (OHL) forward Michael Misa (2025 NHL Draft prospect) earned the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence.

Heading into this year's Stanley Cup Final, 54% of the 269 players whose names have been engraved on the Cup since 2014 - 146 in total - were CHL alumni, including 11 players on last year's Florida Panthers championship roster.

Quick Facts

With 10 CHL alumni on their roster, the Florida Panthers helped mark the seventh season in a row that 10+ CHL graduates helped their team to a Stanley Cup title

Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL) became the third consecutive CHL alumnus to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, following Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers / Erie Otters - OHL) in 2024 and Jonathan Marchessault (Vegas Golden Knights / Québec Remparts - QMJHL) in 2023

Carter Verhaeghe (Niagara IceDogs / OHL) became just the sixth player over the last 40 years to win three Stanley Cups over his first six seasons in the NHL (2025 and 2024 w/ FLA and 2020 w/ TBL).

The Panthers became just the second team in NHL history - and the first in 70 years - to have three players score five or more goals in a single Stanley Cup Final, as Kootenay Ice (WHL) alumnus Sam Reinhart (7), Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) graduate Brad Marchand (6), and Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) standout Sam Bennett (5) each reached the mark during the championship series.

Reinhart's seven goals in the Stanley Cup Final were the most by any player in the last 40 years and tied for the highest total in the NHL's expansion era (since 1967), matching CHL legends Wayne Gretzky (Soo Greyhounds / OHL, 7 in 1985) and Mike Bossy (Laval National / QMJHL, 7 in 1982).

Marchand became the first player in NHL history to score five or more goals in multiple Stanley Cup Final series with different teams. He also became just the third player all-time - and the first in over a century - to record five or more road goals in a single Final.

Paul Maurice marked the 14th occasion in the past 20 years that a coach with CHL ties (having either previously played or coached in the CHL) has hoisted the Stanley Cup.

Nine of the top 11 scorers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs were CHL alumni, including McDavid, Draisaitl, Reinhart, Tkachuk, Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers / London Knights - OHL), Verhaeghe, Bennett, Marchand, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Edmonton Oilers / Red Deer Rebels - WHL).

Eight of the top nine goal scorers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs were CHL alumni - including each of the top five: Bennett, Reinhart, Draisaitl, Corey Perry (Edmonton Oilers / London Knights - OHL), and Marchand.

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers were two of 15 playoff teams to feature 10+ CHL alumni on their roster during the 2025 NHL postseason.

Complete list of the 10 CHL alumni who won the Stanley Cup in 2025

Players are listed alongside the CHL club they've played the most games with

Florida Panthers (10)

Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL), Aaron Ekblad (Barrie Colts / OHL), Jonah Gadjovich (Owen Sound Attack / OHL), A.J. Greer (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Seth Jones (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Dmitry Kulikov (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL), Brad Marchand (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay Ice / WHL), Matthew Tkachuk (London Knights / OHL), Carter Verhaeghe (Niagara Ice Dogs / OHL).

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