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Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk showered praise on Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and goaltender Stuart Skinner after their thrilling Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final in June. Tkachuk and the Panthers ended up lifting the Cup with a 2-1 win.
This year's Final has been hailed as one of the most exciting in recent memory. The Panthers kicked things off with a strong lead, winning the first three games, but the Oilers fought back fiercely, taking the next three and setting the stage for a nail-biting Game 7, which the Panthers won.
A clip emerged on social media on Tuesday where a mic'd up Matthew Tkachuk praised Connor McDavid and Stuart Skinner for their incredible performances, especially after the Oilers' comeback from being down 3-0.
During the handshake, Tkachuk was heard saying to the Oilers duo that they'd see them again in the Final next year and that they were "just too good."
Meanwhile, NHL fans wasted no time reacting to Takchuk's message to McDavid and Skinner following the Oilers' loss in Game 7 of the Cup final. One humorously said:
"See Tkachuk is a good guy, even lying to make Skinner feel better."
Another chimed in:
"Wow. What a classy gesture. I love hockey."
However, many other reactions on X did not seem to share Matthew Tkachuk's view that the Oilers would be back:
"no chance these teams go back to finals," one tweeted.
"It's unlikely that the Oilers will be there," another commented.
"Ummm Cup or bust was last year. The four players on the oilers who take 50% of the cap won’t be able to carry them again," one opined.
One fan even predicted exactly when the Oilers would crash out of this upcoming season's playoffs.
"2nd round exit," another chimed in.
Matthew Tkachuk and Florida Panthers' Cup run set to feature in new NHL docuseries
Tkachuk and the Panthers' run to the Stanley Cup will be highlighted in a highly anticipated new docuseries. Amazon and the NHL unveiled last month their plans for the upcoming hockey season, which includes the return of Prime Monday Night Hockey.
One of the standout features of this collaboration is the docuseries titled "Faceoff: Inside the NHL." The series aims to provide fans with an inside look at some of the league's most captivating players, including Matthew Tkachuk.
The series will also feature Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Leon Draisaitl, and other players. Amazon's "Faceoff: Inside the NHL" docuseries will premiere on Oct. 4.
