Ron DeSantis Chirps at Canada's 'Boycott' of Florida, Stanley Cup Drought

The simmering tensions between the United States and Canada have found yet another arena: the podium of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Addressing an audience on Tuesday, DeSantis took aim at what he described as Canada’s so-called "boycott" of Florida, and he didn’t stop there—he threw hockey into the mix. Because, why not?

DeSantis proudly announced that Florida had hosted over 140 million tourists in 2024, with 3.3 million of them coming from Canada. "That's not much of a boycott, in my book," he quipped, addressing the diplomatic frostbite between the two nations.

And then, the hockey jab: "Maybe they wanted to get a glimpse of what a Stanley Cup-winning hockey team actually looks like," he said, referencing the Florida Panthers' recent championship. Ouch. That sting is probably still being felt north of the border, where no Canadian NHL team has hoisted the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did in 1993.

To pile it on, DeSantis highlighted Florida’s impressive hockey resume. The state has brought home four Stanley Cups since 2000, thanks to the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning (2004, 2020, and 2021). Meanwhile, Canada—a country synonymous with hockey—has been left empty-handed in NHL titles for over three decades.

However, let’s not forget Canada’s dominance on the international stage. Last month, Team Canada edged out Team USA in overtime to claim the newly-established 4 Nations Face-Off title. Historically, Canada has a commanding 14-4-1 record against the U.S. in best-on-best formats, including victories in the 2002 and 2010 Olympic gold medal games and the 2014 Olympic semifinals.

The most notable American victory? The 1996 Canada Cup. Since then, Team USA has managed occasional wins, like round-robin victories in the 2010 Olympics and last month’s 4 Nations Face-Off, but the rivalry has largely been Canada’s to own.

It seems the battle between the U.S. and Canada continues to play out—on the rink, through trade policies, and now in the form of sarcastic speeches. As for DeSantis, he seems to know how to land a verbal slap shot when it comes to stirring the pot.