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Matthew Tkachuk returned to ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show on Friday afternoon to sort of preview the Stanley Cup Final rematch between his Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers.
Few players on the Panthers know the Oilers as well as Tkachuk does having spent the first six seasons of his NHL career playing for their Battle of Alberta rival with the Calgary Flames.
Friday, Tkachuk said the Stanley Cup Final got things right this year: The Panthers and Oilers are the best teams in the NHL.
“Edmonton is a hell of a team,’’ Tkachuk told McAfee. “It is going to make for and incredible series. It’s not very often you see a rematch in pro sports in the Finals. So, I think this is the two best teams in the league, and 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.’’
Florida beat the Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, with clips surfacing Thursday of Tkachuk going through the handshake line after Game 7 telling numerous Edmonton players — including goalie Stuart Skinner and star Connor McDavid — that he would see them next year in the Final.
And, here we are.
“I am pretty familiar with them going back to my time in Calgary, seeing those players grow, and playing against McDavid a ton,’’ Tkachuk said. “Pretty much, when you’re playing against the best player in the world, he’s going to give you a challenge every night. But it’s not just him. They are a deep team, play really hard on both ends of the ice. Their goalie is playing incredible right now. And, I think the most underrated thing about them is their defense.’’
Tkachuk noted how Edmonton is 12-2 since dropping the first two games of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Kings and “are playing their best hockey of the year right now.’’
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