The Stanley Cup will continue to reside in the Sunshine State after the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season.
Thanks to an unbelievable four-goal performance from forward Sam Reinhart and 28 saves from goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers earned a 5-1 victory in front of the sold-out crowd at Amerant Bank Arena to cap off another historic campaign that resulted in a championship.
The Panthers are now also the second Florida-based NHL team to repeat as Stanley Cup winners in the last five years, as the Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished the feat in 2020 and 2021.
Matthew Tkachuk: Florida Panthers Are Officially a Dynasty
Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk is the face of the franchise and of the organization’s turnaround. Now with two rings in two years (and appearances in the Finals in three straight years), Tkachuk stated plainly that the Panthers are officially included in the NHL’s list of dynasties.
“We’ve got to be a dynasty now,” Tkachuk said. “That’s three years in a row, Finals, two championships. This team is so special. Stanley Cup champion…this never gets old.”
One aspect of the championship that has amazed many is how well Tkachuk played despite dealing with serious injuries. He scored three goals during the Stanley Cup Finals and later disclosed that he was playing through an adductor tear. That said, it’s no surprise that Tkachuk would not miss being on the ice with the rest of his teammates.
“Didn’t know if I was going to be playing,” he said, “and it just shows how unbelievable our group is; the depth, everything, and then allowing me to kind of get my footing throughout the playoffs”.
Matthew Tkachuk changed the Panthers organization when he arrived in 2022.
Now, he is a two-time champion 🏆 pic.twitter.com/LaV1dddb1f
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 18, 2025
Tkachuk also made sure to express his gratitude towards the doctors and medical team that helped him be able to play in these important games. He mentioned the team’s trainers, doctors, and even his fiancée back home, who kept the household in check when Tkachuk was not feeling his best.
With eight goals and 15 assists in the postseason, Tkachuk finished tied with teammates Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe in total playoff scoring.
Tkachuk’s point of being a dynasty will be hard to dismiss, as repeat performances in the Stanley Cup Final are rare. While the Panthers lost several players from last season’s Stanley Cup run, including defensemen Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, their core group of players remained and helped them keep the title of champions for a second consecutive campaign.
The Panthers are also going to need plenty of rest and recouping during the summer if they are to go another lengthy postseason run in 2026.
