Former Kraken Defenseman Wins Cup With Panthers
Florida Panthers defenseman Jaycob Megna (6) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Former Seattle Kraken defenseman Jaycob Megna took home his first Stanley Cup after the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6.
The 32-year-old didn't play in postseason games this season but recorded eight games during the regular season. The 6'6 defenseman was born in Plantation, FL and signed as a free agent this past offseason. Megna will become an unrestricted free agent on July. 1, available to sign with any NHL team.
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Megna was traded to the Kraken by the San Jose Sharks for a 4th-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft before the trade deadline. He played just six games with the Kraken, failing to record a point before the Chicago Blackhawks claimed him off waivers.
With his Stanley Cup triumph, Megna becomes the first former Kraken player to win the Stanley Cup who played a game with the Kraken.
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Aguirre was slightly more forthcoming following the game against the Dominican Republic, but still declined to make a statement on the situation in the US. 'The best way to support them is to give them more than just victory, an effort. People identify with their flag, with their anthem, with their players who give it their all. That's what concerns us,' he said. 'We are football professionals, and it's the best way to represent our fellow countrymen in this moment – a complicated moment. We have to do our part on the field.' But, with Mexican soccer entering one of the biggest years in its history and President Donald Trump's immigration agenda remaining difficult to predict, it seems unlikely that this discussion will simply go away. The June 14 game against the Dominican Republic was the first in Mexico's efforts to defend the Gold Cup title it won in 2023. The win, coupled with a second victory over Suriname on Wednesday night, means that Mexico has already qualified for the quarterfinals. But Cielito Lindo will not be there to see whether the team can retain the crown, having taken the decision on Tuesday night not to attend any of the remaining Gold Cup fixtures. 'We were going to be in (Las) Vegas this weekend, and then we were going to be in Phoenix next weekend, and we were going to be in Texas for the final. So we already had flight reservations, hotel reservations, party reservations, you name it,' says Rubén. 'But it definitely wouldn't feel right leaving our friends and family behind, knowing that they couldn't be there. We have really close friends in particular that were going to be at this game in Vegas with us, and they were just like, 'I can't even go out of my house right now.'' The absence of one of the national team's three largest US-based supporters' groups could indicate the start of a worrying period for Mexican soccer ahead of a busy stateside schedule. Alongside the national team's efforts, CF Monterrey and CF Pachuca are both currently representing the nation against some of the biggest teams on the planet in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup. Looming even larger is the 2026 World Cup, which Mexico will host for the first time since 1986, alongside the US and Canada. With less than a year until the first game kicks off at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, fans are concerned that further raids could overshadow what is meant to be a joyous occasion. 'We hope this is something that's very short and we can move on from it and just go ahead and celebrate because we are a very happy people,' Sigo al Tri member Rafael Baqueiro tells CNN Sports. 'We hope we can move on from this and keep going towards the World Cup. Mexico needs that push and that the fans be present.' Espinosa is in agreement. 'The fear that our compatriots carry in terms of different situations regarding documentation or legality in the United States is noticeable, and it's something that unfortunately could occur in upcoming games or even in the next World Cup,' he says. 'We wish with all our strength that there is no violence. Don't endanger the integrity of our compatriots, nor our friends that we have there (in the US).'
