Panthers cancel ring ceremony as they monitor Hurricane Milton ahead of Opening Night

The Florida Panthers intended to have fans be with them on Monday as the team received its rings commemorating their Stanley Cup championship.

Mother Nature has other plans.

The Panthers announced Sunday that they canceled their Champions Ring Ceremony, scheduled for Monday at Amerant Bank Arena, out of an abundance of caution due to potential weather stemminf from Hurricane Milton, which has placed numerous counties in Florida under a state of emergency including Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.

“As this event would take resources from first responders and service providers, we have made the tough decision to cancel our Champions Ring Ceremony out of an abundance of caution for the safety of all involved. We will instead distribute our championship rings privately,” Panthers President and CEO Matt Caldwell said in a press release. “Along with state and local authorities, we are closely monitoring the situation.”

Caldwell added that as of Sunday night, the team’s season opener against the Boston Bruins, slated for a 7 p.m. puck drop on Tuesday, is “scheduled to proceed as intended and we will continue preparing our arena and surrounding areas to safely welcome guests for Opening Night.”

Fans who purchased tickets for the ring ceremony expect a full refund for their donation at their point of purchase, the Panthers said. Proceeds from the ring ceremony were going to be donated to the United Negro College Fund Fort Lauderdale (UNCF Fort Lauderdale) and United Way of Broward County’s Mission United through the Florida Panthers Foundation.

This story may be updated.