EDMONTON, June 20, 2025
Tkachuk’s Taunt: A New Chapter in the Oilers-Panthers Rivalry
Matthew Tkachuk‘s post-Stanley Cup celebration took a jab at Connor McDavid, reigniting the flames of a bitter rivalry.
- Matthew Tkachuk taunted Connor McDavid with a microphone at a Stanley Cup celebration, stoking the oilers-Panthers rivalry.
- The rivalry is rooted in past playoff battles and perceived disrespect.
- The Tkachuk brothers’ competitive nature adds fuel to the fire.
Florida Panthers’ second-line winger Matthew Tkachuk took center stage at a Stanley Cup celebration, and he had a message for Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Tkachuk grabbed a microphone and, to the roar of the crowd, shouted, “Connor McDavid who?!” This provocative declaration is likely to add another layer of animosity to the already heated rivalry.
What started as a rivalry, escalated into a full-blown feud. The intensity between Tkachuk and the Oilers runs deep, rooted in the “battle of Alberta” playoff series, where Calgary lost to edmonton. Sports analyst Elliotte Friedman mentioned on his 32 thoughts podcast, “I think the rivalry between Tkachuk and the Oilers is vrey real, very real.” The sting of that loss was such that it essentially dismantled the Flames team. A player from that Flames team later said that, “We have to eat it because they’re right. They beat us so badly that we were never the same team again.”
reader question: Do you think personal rivalries like this are good for the sport, or do they distract from the team’s overall goals?
The competitive fire between the two teams is undeniable. The recent Stanley Cup Final was filled with intense trash-talking, as TSN’s James Duthie reported. The tension was palpable. “Pure verbal hate” was the atmosphere. This time, Tkachuk gets the better of Kane. It’s hard enough to lose the Stanley Cup Final, but I would bet it grinds on those guys, that Tkachuk got them again.
Did you know?-The Tkachuk family is a hockey dynasty. Matthew’s father,Keith Tkachuk,was a star player in the NHL for nearly two decades.
The Tkachuk brothers, known for their competitive spirit, are already eyeing the upcoming olympics. They may be talking about the USA winning Olympic gold in February.
McDavid is slated to lead Team Canada in the Winter Olympics.
Canadian teams may not have won the Stanley Cup in more than three decades,but if I recall correctly,Team Canada has done OK at recent Olympic Games best-on-best tournaments,with three gold medals out of the last four such tournaments (2002,2010 and 2014).
Is the rivalry between the Panthers and Oilers just talk, or is it something more? The depth of the animosity between the Panthers and Oilers suggests this is more than just kind competition.
reader question: Do you think personal rivalries like this are good for the sport, or do they distract from the team’s overall goals?
The competitive fire between the two teams is undeniable. The recent Stanley cup Final was filled with intense trash-talking, as TSN’s James Duthie reported. The tension was palpable. “Pure verbal hate” was the atmosphere. This time, Tkachuk gets the better of Kane. It’s hard enough to lose the Stanley Cup Final, but I would bet it grinds on those guys, that Tkachuk got them again.
Did you know?-The Tkachuk family is a hockey dynasty. Matthew’s father,Keith Tkachuk,was a star player in the NHL for nearly two decades.
