Brooks Koepka received major recognition at the Stanley Cup parade for his beloved Florida Panthers. However, he probably wishes he hadn’t.
On the other hand, Koepka can throw it as well as he can handle it, and he had to on Sunday when Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad got behind the microphone.
Without context, this seems a little out of character for Ekblad, who should be celebrating the biggest achievement of his career, not criticizing a professional golfer. Let us explain.
Last March, as the Panthers were about to begin their first Stanley Cup run (ultimately a losing effort), Koepka and some friends wore tracksuits to a game at Sunrise and Koepka went viral when a fan captured video of him holding a traffic cone and yelling at Ekblad, specifically:
For those wondering, a traffic cone is not something you want to be called as an NHL defenseman. It means exactly what it sounds like: that you’re serving no purpose on the ice other than getting in the way of other people skating in circles around you. Not well!
But, despite being a fellow professional athlete, Koepka is also a fan and may have Had some drinks (and maybe made some bets) on this particular night. What do you do with a few drinks and a bet on the line at a professional sporting event? You shout things. Strong.
Based on some interviews later that summer, it seemed that the video was not only fun for the Panthers locker room, but Ekblad and Koepka himself made this clear.The five-time major champion was back in the building rooting for the boys for Game 7 last week, so he’s hardly persona non grata at Amerant Bank Arena. Still, you can tell Ekblad has been waiting for revenge for a long, long time.