PEORIA — Brian Riedel nearly won a championship ring with the Peoria Rivermen in the 2017-18 SPHL season.
The Rivermen fell short in the finals that season, but the former Rivermen athletic trainer has more than made up for it, earning his second Stanley Cup ring with the Florida Panthers while serving as the NHL champion’s assistant athletic trainer.
The Rivermen have a second tie to the Florida champs, as well. Rivermen Hall of Fame winger Paul Fenton, a charter member of the 44-year Peoria franchise, is in his fifth season as Panthers senior advisor to the general manager.
“It’s unbelievable,” Riedel said Wednesday. “I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. Try to sleep a little. But really, you want to be around the Cup as much as can. It’s a feeling that just can’t be described. Everything that goes into it, everything that has to happen, it’s the hardest trophy in sports to win.”
Riedel launched his pro career with Peoria and climbed the game’s ladder to the NHL as assistant athletic trainer for the Florida Panthers, who repeated as Stanley Cup champions Tuesday with a Game 6 series-ending victory over Edmonton.
Riedel was working on the bench to see it all up close.
Riedel was the Peoria Rivermen trainer in the 2017-18 SPHL season. Peoria finished as regular-season champions in a runaway campaign that season, but ended short of a title in the playoffs with a Game 3 loss to Huntsville in the finals.
“I’ve had time to reflect on that, on starting my career in Peoria,” Riedel said. “Big credit to the Rivermen and to (co-owner) Bart Rogers and (head coach) Jean-Guy Trudel and the family they have created there. To be part of that, and the awesome growth for me there … When I think about those days I remember being part of the boys and the team and it was just awesome.
“They taught me the culture and the job, and it helped me get on a fast track.”
Riedel went on to be head athletic trainer for ECHL Greenville in 2018-19. He broke into the NHL as assistant athletic trainer for the Washington Caps in the 2019-20 season, and was also head athletic trainer for their AHL farm club at Hershey.
The Florida Panthers hired him in the 2022-23 season as assistant athletic trainer, and he served as part of their Stanley Cup championship team in 2023-24 and now on the repeat champions crowned Tuesday.
“I have two Stanley Cup rings,” Riedel said, proudly. “The third ring I have is from my wife, Tiffanie, and it’s important. She’s been there every step with me. I got here to Florida at the right time, I was fortunate, and I’m just so grateful to be part of this Florida Panthers organization.”
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.