“We’re a dynasty,” Matthew Tkachuk said after the Panthers claimed their back-to-back Stanley Cups on June 17. “I can’t believe this is what has happened… It just shows how unbelievable the group is, the depth.” It was their 3rd straight Stanley Cup Finals; that’s how dominant they have been. But the Florida Panthers alternate captain is part of another hockey dynasty. The Keith Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, and Brady Tkachuk legacy. And how poetic is it that the son honors his father on this big day?

The Panthers haven’t wasted any time in taking the celebrations outside of the Amerant Bank Arena. The venue is the Elbo Room, the beach bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Matthew Tkachuk has given us the most touching moment. Bleacher Report Open Ice posted on Twitter on June 18, “Matthew Tkachuk, passing the Stanley Cup to his dad Keith, on the Elbo Room deck. Absolute scenes 🎬”.

While the fans outside were chanting “Tchuky”, Matthew Tkachuk waited for his father on the deck. And when the US Hockey Hall of Famer came out, the victorious son passed on the Stanley Cup to his proud son, to the roaring applause from everyone present. It has to be one of the most beautiful moments from this year’s Stanley Cup Finals celebrations.

Keith Tkachuk never won a Stanley Cup in his career but look at his figures; the former St. Louis Blues forward is every bit deserving. The left-winger’s NHL career spanned 18 seasons. And in that time, he scored 538 goals and 527 assists in 1201 games. And Tkachuk Sr. has played in the NHL All-Star Game 5 times. So, you know where the hockey genes have been passed down from.

Both Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk are star wingers for their team. And the elder brother has done the Tkachuk legacy proud. But honoring his father is not just about the game for the Panthers left-winger. It’s about the bond between the fathers and the two sons. “I talk to them every day. Because we have that relationship, they call me or I call them,” Keith Tkachuk said to NHL.com in February 2025 while the 4 Nations Face-Off was ongoing.

Matthew Tkachuk’s father was also there on the ice when the Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2024. But it’s during a loss that Keith Tkachuk channels his true dad responsibilities. “If they lose, I’m going to be calling them all the time, giving them [a hard time],” he said jokingly. Because this man loves nothing more than seeing his sons succeed. And June 17 was one such day in the lives of the Tkachuks. So, it’s just right that Matthew Tkachuk made this big gesture to show how important his father has been in his journey.

A grueling Playoffs in which the Panthers left-winger fought off injury and pain to reach the summit of the Stanley Cup. And now, the entire South Florida prepares for the glorious celebrations.

Matthew Tkachuk joins South Florida in celebration after an iconic achievement

The Panthers are only the 3rd team to do the repeat in the salary cap era (post 2005), after the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning. South Florida was not always the hotbed of NHL action that it is now. Even the Panthers were formed in 1993, after which they had barely sustained consistent Stanley Cup Playoffs success. That is till 2021. Since then, the team has been growing as a powerhouse, and the fanbase has grown exponentially.

The Elbo Room celebration you are seeing is not a surprise. Last year, after they won, Elbo Room was the venue for Matthew Tkachuk and the team to celebrate, where they even brought the Stanley Cup. Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, and many other Panthers players were there, which the fans eventually got to know. As they flocked outside, the festivity only got wilder.

We are expecting the very same too, as the Panthers’ Stanley Cup Parade is scheduled for Sunday, July 22. It will start at Riomar Street and head south along the scenic A1A Florida road, ending just past SE 5th Street across from Hotel Maren. This means the iconic spots of Las Olas Boulevard and Elbo Room will turn into a sea of Red and Blue. And then there was the beach rally of 2024. The Florida Panthers have truly arrived.