Matthew Tkachuk names three-time Penguins Stanley Cup winner his favorite player 

Reigning Stanley Cup champion Matthew Tkachuk traveled to Vail, Colorado to attend a special training session with fellow NHL players Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers.

And while McDavid and MacKinnon are very accomplished, Tkachuk admitted that Crosby remains his favorite player while also saying that the No. 1 overall selection in the 2005 NHL Draft is a favorite of many players his age.

"Crosby, obviously nearly every player in my age group, is our favorite player," he said. "He's 37 now, just seeing how so dialed in he is with training, fitness, nutrition, workouts, and practice - just how intense he is and how much fun he has, I think loves being around guys who are just having a blast and working hard, too."

"We had a demanding few days but it was incredible."

“I remember we were doing a two-on-two drill, and it was myself and [Nathan] MacKinnon versus [Sidney] Crosby and McDavid. I’m like, ‘Alright boys, wish me luck,'” Tkachuk said laughing. “Thank god it was a smaller area. If we got out on the open ice, I was screwed. It was fun with those guys, fun getting to know them off the ice. They’re all great guys.”

Tkachuk and the Panthers secured a 6-4 victory in the regular season game at home matchup against the Boston Bruins.

Matthew Tkachuk helped the Panthers to the Stanley Cup for the first time

It was one of the more surprising blockbuster trades in recent memory, as the Panthers dealt Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Tkachuk in the summer of 2022.

The fortunes of the two teams couldn't be more different since the deal. Tkachuk and the Panthers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in two straight years, while Huberdeau and Weegar and the rest of the Flames have yet to qualify for the playoffs since then.