Jubilant Men in Beards: Florida Panthers

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Aleksander Barkov

Barkov is the captain, so he gets all the photos with the fireworks. It is NOT reflective of overall beard quality.

Matthew Tkachuk

Matt used to play in Calgary, and he did shout out the fans there by saying he couldn't let Edmonton win. He's from a big hockey family; his father played in 1300 NHL games and never made the finals. So this was big for them, and he BROUGHT the right beard.

Carter Verhaeghe

This is some ROBUST neck growth. You could lose a press-on nail in that.

Aaron Ekblad, Dmitry Kulikov

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Aaron Ekblad #5 and Dmitry Kulikov #7 of Florida Panthers celebrate after Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

"MY HAIR IS MORE EXCITED THAN YOURS!!!!"

Vladimir Tarasenko and Sergei Bobrovsky

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Vladimir Tarasenko #10 and Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers celebrate after Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

I love the tender embrace of men who definitely smell TERRIBLE but have just arrived at the top of the mountain. Sergei is the goalie, and that last half of the third period... do we think he even BREATHED?

Sam Reinhart, Sergei Bobrovsky, Eetu Luostarinen

"OH THANK YOU JESUS, NO ONE HAS ANY MORE PUCKS TO GIVE."

Sergei Bobrovsky

if Ted Lasso were a hockey player, he might look like this.

Evan Rodrigues

"I know you're there but I cannot even look at you. You SHAVED."

Anton Lundell and GM Bill Zito

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Anton Lundell #15 and president and general manager Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers celebrate after their 2-1 victory against the Edmonton Oilers in Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

"You get ONE, son. Pull out a Gillette again during the playoff and we'll chip your name off the cup and hide your dentures, got it?"

Gustav Forsling

"Ugggggh, it's so heavy, I don't have the strength..."

Gustav Forsling

"PSYCH!!!!"

Sam Bennett

This might be the most robust beard of the lot...

Uvis Balinskis

... but this is a strong challenger for the title.

Aaron Ekblad

No, just kidding, this guy might have it. Ooh, this was a gauntlet.

Eetu Luostarinen

He ONLY has underbrush.

Brandon Montour

"THESE MIGHT BE MY OWN TEETH!!!!"

Josh Mahura

"PAY THE RENT OR I TIE YOU TO THE TRACKS!!!!"

Nick Cousins

I assume he just spotted two enthusiastic fans having sex on the glass.

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Adam Henrique #19, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins #93, Evan Bouchard #2, and Mattias Ekholm #14 of the Edmonton Oilers react after their 2-1 loss against the Florida Panthers in Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Can I just say, I HATE the throwing of the stupid rubber rats?!?!? What a gross tradition. I guess at least they aren't real, but it started because in the mid-90s, a rat ran across the locker room and one of the players one-timed it into the wall and killed it. Fans read about it and turned it into A Thing, and I find it heinous.

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: The Florida Panthers pose for a team photo with the Stanley Cup after Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

ENJOY IT, GENTS. Do TRY not to defile the Cup.

Anton Lundell

I don't think they're gonna try very hard.