Mackie Samoskevich, a winger for the Florida Panthers and a native of Sandy Hook, Connecticut, celebrated a significant moment in his hockey career by bringing the Stanley Cup to the Sandy Hook Elementary School Memorial. This gesture served to honor the memory of the 20 children and six adult staff members who tragically lost their lives in the 2012 shooting incident.

At just 22 years old, Samoskevich recently completed his first full season with the Panthers during the 2024-25 NHL season, recording 15 goals and 16 assists across 72 games while finishing the season with a minus-four rating. His experience in the playoffs was limited, as he appeared in only four games and contributed with an assist. However, his journey in hockey began in the Newtown area, and he expressed the importance of this occasion, reflecting on past experiences. 'It's definitely special to bring it here,' Samoskevich remarked in an interview. 'The Boston Bruins brought it here in 2013, and I was one of those kids playing hockey with them, so it's pretty cool to see it come full circle.'

The Sandy Hook tragedy greatly impacted Samoskevich and his family, as he and his twin sister, Maddy, were students at Reed Intermediate School during the incident, which resulted in a four-hour lockdown. Recalling that day, Samoskevich shared, 'I just remember sitting in that dark classroom for the longest time and just not knowing what was going on. It was scary.' Having attended Sandy Hook Elementary School earlier in his life, along with his sisters Maddy and Melissa, Samoskevich’s ties to the victims were personal, as his family home was only a short walk from the school. By bringing the Stanley Cup to the memorial, Samoskevich honored the memory of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.