Florida Panthers forward and Stanley Cup winner Matthew Tkachuk appeared on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show on Friday, May 30, to discuss the highly anticipated upcoming Stanley Cup Final rematch against the Edmonton Oilers.
Tkachuk spent the first six seasons of his NHL career with Edmonton’s local rivals, the Calgary Flames, and has faced the franchise multiple times in the Battle of Alberta. He was also part of the Florida team that won the Stanley Cup in seven games last season.
Why Does Matthew Tkachuk Respect the Oilers’ Playoff Run?
Speaking to Pat McAfee on ESPN, Tkachuk didn’t pull any punches when assessing the threat the Oilers posed in the upcoming trophy series.
“They started the playoffs down two games to LA, and since then, they’ve been 12 and two. So that’s incredible in the regular season; it’s almost unheard of in the playoffs. So they’re playing the best hockey of the year so far for them, and it’s going to be a battle for us,” Tkachuk said.
The Oilers’ remarkable turnaround began after falling behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. Since that point, Edmonton has dominated its opponents, sweeping the last four games against the Kings (winning the series 4-2), defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games, and clinching the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars in five games.
Connor McDavid has led the charge with 26 points in 16 playoff games, while Leon Draisaitl has added 25 points.
He added that even though the Panthers are the defending champions, they were planning to take on the Oilers in Edmonton in Game 1 as challengers.
“We’re going up there to Edmonton to start. And they’re 12 and two in the last 14. So we got our hands full. We’re going to take that underdog mindset and mentality and then go up there and try to do what we did last year,” Tkachuk said.
What Makes This Stanley Cup Final Rematch Special?
The Florida forward also praised the Oilers’ depth and skill, saying the rematch would “make for an incredible series.”
“It’s not very often you see a rematch in pro sports in the Finals…To be honest, I think it’s pretty clear we’re the two best teams in the league. It is going to make for an incredible final,” the 27-year-old forward said.
This marks just the 10th Stanley Cup Final rematch in NHL history and the first since the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins met in back-to-back finals in 2008 and 2009.
The historical significance isn’t lost on Tkachuk, who has unique perspective on this matchup from his 438 regular season games with Calgary, where the Battle of Alberta rivalry runs deep.
After an injury-hit regular season, Tkachuk has 5 goals and 11 assists in 17 postseason games. The Panthers’ forward lines’ consistent production in the playoffs are a major reason for their run to the finals.
Tkachuk’s playoff performance comes after a challenging regular season where he missed 22 games due to various injuries, limiting him to 47 points in 60 games.
The Panthers are the ninth franchise in NHL history to make three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances and the second in the past 40 years, after the Lightning achieved the same feat from 2020-22.
Florida lost to Vegas in 2023 before defeating Edmonton last year, making this their chance to become the first team since the New York Islanders (1980-1983) to win multiple championships during a three-year Finals run.
The puck drops for Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, June 4, at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
