Mackie Samoskevich, a winger for the Florida Panthers and a native of Sandy Hook, Connecticut, recently honored the memory of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy by bringing the Stanley Cup to the school's memorial. This poignant visit commemorated the lives of 20 children and six adult staff members who lost their lives in the devastating event of 2012.

At 22 years old, Samoskevich completed his first full NHL season with the Panthers during 2024-25, achieving a notable record of 15 goals and 16 assists in 72 games, though he finished the season with a plus-minus rating of minus-four. His performance in the Stanley Cup playoffs was limited to four games, where he contributed with one assist. Samoskevich's journey in hockey began in the Newtown area, and he reflected on the significance of this occasion in an interview, stating, "It's definitely special to bring it here." He recalled that in 2013 the Boston Bruins had brought the Stanley Cup to the same area, an event he participated in as a young player, creating a full-circle moment in his career.

At the time of the Sandy Hook tragedy, Samoskevich and his twin sister, Maddy, were students at Reed Intermediate School, which underwent a lengthy lockdown during the shooting incident. Recalling that day, Samoskevich mentioned, "I just remember sitting in that dark classroom for the longest time and just not knowing what was going on. It was scary." The Samoskevich siblings, along with their older sister Melissa, had previously attended Sandy Hook Elementary, which was a mere ten-minute walk from their family home. This deep connection to the victims added a layer of personal significance to Samoskevich's gesture of bringing the Stanley Cup back to the memorial.