NHL News: Panthers lose Stanley Cup champion with Brad Marchand who spent more than a decade in Florida

The summertime celebrations are coming to an end for Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers. With the 2025-26 NHL season closing in, it’s time for the Cats to get serious. Now, the reigning back-to-back champs will be without a key member of the front office who has won the Stanley Cup twice.

Shawn Thornton has had an incredible NHL career as a player. A seventh-round selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1997 Draft, he defied all odds. Thornton hoisted two Stanley Cups with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and with Marchand’s Boston Bruins in 2011. He spent the last three years of his career with the Panthers, before retiring and joining the brass in Sunrise.

Initially, he served as senior vice president of business operations before being promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in 2020, and then to Chief Revenue Officer in 2022. Now, Thornton is stepping away from the organization in Broward County, leaving behind former teammates like Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Aleksander Barkov.

Thornton’s statement

Through a post on his LinkedIn profile, Thornton closed the door on one electric chapter of his NHL journey. Thornton can now say he’s been part of four Stanley Cup-winning teams—a distinction few in NHL history can claim.

“Three years on the ice. Eight years on the business side. Together, we built something special,” Thornton’s post read. “But more than the numbers, it’s the people and moments I’ll remember most: the partners who believed in us, and the fans whose passion fueled everything we did.

“I’m deeply grateful to the Viola and Cifu families, Matthew Caldwell and every member of the Panthers organization for trusting me with this role and for making the last decade so meaningful.”

Thornton’s stats

Over a 14-year NHL career, the Ontario native left the ice with every dream fulfilled—from being drafted by his boyhood club, the Maple Leafs, to suiting up for major markets like Boston and Chicago, to hoisting the Stanley Cup twice as a player.

His journey didn’t end there; he later helped grow the game in Florida, witnessing the franchise blossom into a juggernaut and back-to-back champion. Through 705 career games, Thornton recorded 102 points, thanks to 42 goals and 60 assists. Now, it’s unclear what the next chapter holds for Thornton, but hockey is most probably going to be his side, regardless.