Florida Panthers Matthew Tkachuk made sure to shout out his former team after winning his first Stanley Cup Final.
Tkachuck and the Panthers outlasted the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in a decisive Game 7 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.
During his postgame interview, Tkachuk paid homage to his supporters from Calgary.
“Shoutout to my fans in Calgary. So you knew I couldn’t let Edmonton win,” said Tkachuk.
"Shout out to my fans in Calgary. You know I couldn't let Edmonton win." – Matthew Tkachuk pic.twitter.com/QvnasdfH4c
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 25, 2024
The Calgary Flames selected Tkachuk sixth overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Tkachuk spent his first six seasons with the Flames before being traded to the Panthers before the 2022-23 campaign.
Tkachuk was dealt in part due to a contract dispute he had with his first team. But the Panthers forward clearly didn’t harbor any ill feelings toward his former fan base.
The Oilers are one of the Flames’ biggest rivals given that both teams reside in Alberta, Canada. Tkachuk may not have won the Stanley Cup for the Flames, but he did prevent the Oilers from having a leg up in the “Battle of Alberta.”
