Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk Predicted Stanley Cup Final Rematch Last Year

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Levine | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 4:56 PM ET

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will be meeting again in the Stanley Cup Final. Last season, Florida took down the Oilers in a dramatic seven-game series to win its first-ever championship in franchise history.

Once again, these two teams are the cream of the crop and will battle it out for the right to be called champions. But it seems that Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk may have predicted this meeting last year.

Tkachuk revealed that during the handshake line after the Panthers won the Stanley Cup last year, he told multiple Oilers players that they would meet again this season.

"We'll see you in the Finals next year, Stu," Tkachuk said. "You guys are too good."

Tkachuk confirmed that this was not a platitude, but rather his true opinions on who the two best teams were.

"I believed that it was going to be us two again," Tkachuk said. "I think we're the two best teams in the League. And if everything would go right, it would probably be us two again in the Finals. I have that confidence in our team and they were the best team that we played last year in the playoffs. I stand by that. I believed it at the time. And here we are again."

The Oilers own home-ice advantage this time around and will be looking to get some redemption for themselves. But the Panthers have been a poised group all postseason long, and are looking to repeat as champions.

Game 1 between the two teams is set to begin on Wednesday, June 4, at 8 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: