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Matthew Tkachuk’s Message to Oilers Resurfaces Ahead of Stanley Cup Final Rematch

Kristen Wong

Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) waits for the faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period in game two of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena.
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) waits for the faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period in game two of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
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The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is set with the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers slated to face off for the second straight year.

It marks the first rematch in the Stanley Cup Final since 2009, and given the unpredictable nature of the NHL, hardly anyone could have foreseen that these two teams would meet again for the Cup this summer.

But Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk did.

After the Panthers and Oilers both won their respective conferences, a clip of Tkachuk's moment with Oilers players in the handshake line after Game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Final has resurfaced on social media.

In the video, the Panthers forward could be heard telling Oilers star Connor McDavid and goalie Stuart Skinner, "We'll see you in the Finals next year. You guys are too good."

The Panthers emerged victorious last season, hoisting the Cup after beating the Oilers 4-3 in the series, but fate could have other plans this time around.

Tkachuk shared his honest thoughts on the upcoming rematch during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Friday.

"I'm pretty familiar with them going back to my time in Calgary and seeing a lot of those players grow, playing against [Connor] McDavid a ton," Tkachuk said. "When you're playing against the best player in the world, he's always going to give you a challenge every night, but it's not just him, they're a deep team.

"They play really hard on both ends of the ice, their goalie's playing incredible right now... They're playing the best hockey of the year so far for them, and it's going to be a battle for us."

Game 1 of the series is Wednesday night in Edmonton.

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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.

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