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Matthew Tkachuk was acquired following a 2022 trade by the Florida Panthers which cost them Jonathan Huberdeau, a 100-point winger, and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. But that deal has paid dividends till now. Tkachuk has been one hell of a player using his grit and rat tactics. He was one of the key figures in the Panthers' first Stanley Cup final win since the franchise's inception.
Matthew Tkachuk was full of zeal after lifting his NHL career's first Stanley Cup. His happiness was visible as he was being interviewed by Emily Kaplan, where he gave a shout-out to the Oilers' rivals, Calgary Flames:
"Shout out to my fans in Calgary. You know I couldn't let Edmonton win."
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Tkachuk further talked about his personal experience of winning the Cup and praised the chemistry within the team.
"It's not a dream, it's reality." Tkachuk said, "I can't believe it. I can't believe how good these two years have been. I am thankful to this group of guys. It's the best place, best guys. Something really special here with what we have."
Talking about his brother Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators, Matthew expressed confidence that he will win the Cup soon.
“I know my brother (Brady) is going to do it very soon." Matthew Tkachuk said. "He’s an unbelievable player built for the playoffs, I can’t wait to see him play in the playoffs and a Stanley Cup final soon, he’s too good.”
Matthew and Brady Tkachuk's father, Keith, never won a Cup in his 18-year-long NHL career. Tkachuk was proud to have won it because their family surname was going to be engraved on the cup.
“This is for them,” Matthew Tkachuk said.
Matthew Tkachuk and Florida Panthers 2-1 win against Oilers in Game 7 of Stanley Cup final
The Florida Panthers clinched their first Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7. After taking a commanding 3-0 series lead, Florida faced a daunting comeback bid from Edmonton, losing three straight games before rebounding in the decisive game. Goals from Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe, along with incredible goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky, secured the historic win.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice was left surprised after the win.
“It's not what I thought it would be,” Maurice said in a post game interview with Kaplan. “It's so much better.”
Despite early Oilers' pressure, Florida played with patience and hope. Reinhart's crucial goal late in the second period turned out to be the game-winner. Aleksander Barkov became the first Finnish NHL captain to win the cup.
