The Stanley Cup and Celebs: A Love Story
Celebrities, they’re just like us, and they love hockey, just like us. Here are some of our favorite celebs and athletes cheering on their favorite teams during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The NHL playoffs consist of the top sixteen teams at the end of the regular season playing for the Stanley Cup—it’s the Super Bowl of hockey. Similar to the NBA, there are eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences competing in three rounds of a best-of-seven games series. Both Conference Final winners move on to play for the Stanley Cup, and the hockey is fierce, fun, and feisty.
The Stanley Cup: Not only a cute tumbler, but also a coveted prize. (AP Photo)
Who's Playing Now
Canada is still hoping for the chance to bring home the Stanley Cup for the first time in 30+ years with the Edmonton Oilers fighting in the West. Florida is dominating in an attempt to be back-to-back winners of the Stanley Cup. Dallas is looking for redemption after their loss to the Oilers in the Western Conference Finals last year. And the Carolina Hurricanes? They're just happy to be in the Eastern Conference Finals after a Round 2 exit last year.
The Celeb Fans
Ariana Grande
Not a fan of the Panthers? Thank you, next! From Boca Raton, Florida, Ariana Grande has been a lifelong Panthers fan. She was 5 years old when she got hit with a puck in the Panthers arena... twice! At 8, she sang the National Anthem before one of their games, and we like to believe it was a vital step on her journey to become the superstar singer and actress she is today. More recently, Ari showed her support for her team in 2024 when she went to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. She subsequently hard-launched her relationship with Ethan Slater and posted on her Instagram story about their wins.
Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa = Panthers hype guy (USA Today)
The Miami Dolphins quarterback has been a Panthers fan since moving to Florida. He has been to several games and is known for being a regular on the big screen, hyping up fans donned in Panthers merch. He even celebrated one of his birthdays with them. The Hawaiian native may not have grown up around the sport, but we love to see him branching out and repping the blue, gold, and red.
Tony Romo
Tony loves Dallas and the Stars (USA Today)
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is a known Dallas sports fan and frequents Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars games. Romo is a Dallas man through and through, and if that’s not loyalty, I don’t know what is.
Evander Holyfield
The Canes prized fighter (James Guillory /USA TODAY Sports)
Evander Holyfield is a former heavyweight boxing champion, boxing legend, and Carolina Hurricanes fan. Holyfield is an undisputed heavyweight champion among other major world titles. Like I said, legend. In 2019, Evander squared up with Canes player Jordan Martinook during the Cane’s Storm Surge. Holyfield, in his 4X Hurricanes jersey that represents his four heavyweight titles, knocked out Martinook after a win against the St. Louis Blues.
Snoop Dogg
Where isn't Snoop Dogg? Known for showing his support for many different teams, one of which is the Edmonton Oilers, Snoop Dogg is an avid hockey fan. He has an immense respect for the sport and genuinely embraces the culture and atmosphere of the game. He's been seen supporting the Anaheim Ducks, the LA Kings, and even the Pittsburgh Penguins when he wore a Penguins jersey in one of his music videos. Sometimes you can’t just pick one team to love! In 2024, during his Cali to Canada tour, Mr. Do Double-G was hyping up the crowd during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals while repping the Oilers. Now, we can’t be positive if the Oilers won just because of Snoop and his ability to charm a crowd, but it definitely didn’t hurt!
Honorable Mentions:
Although their teams may be out of the playoffs, we can’t forget some of our other favorite famous fans.
Justin Bieber
Proud Canadian, Toronto Maple Leafs fan, and Auston Matthews bestie, JB is known for his avid support of his home team and has been especially active on social media with his love for the Leafs. Bonus: he’s got Hailey and his son, Jacks, in on the playoffs action, truly making his love of the Leafs a family affair. Justin was on the celebrity team in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game along with Tate McRae, Will Arnett, and Michael Bublé. He shared the ice with several Maple Leafs players, including Matthews.
Emily Ferguson Karlsson
The Bachelor star is cheering on her husband, Swedish hockey player and Vegas Golden Knight center, William Karlsson. Emily and William got married in 2022, had their first son, Beckham, in 2023 (the same year he won the Stanley Cup), and had their second son, Maxwell, in 2024. She and their two sons can be seen rooting for the assistant captain and his teammates throughout the season and onwards to the playoffs.
Steve Aoki
The famous cake-throwing DJ is a proud Golden Knights fan! Aoki is an avid fan and even celebrated with the team during their 2023 Stanley Cup victory. Steve lived every hockey fan’s dream, getting to be a part of the joy and pride of victory with his favorite team and favorite players!
Who's your favorite celebrity fan?