Just weeks after lifting his second straight Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, Matthew Tkachuk has gone viral again. Well, this time, not for his on-ice heroics, but for revealing an unusual plea from Canadian hockey fans. Born in Arizona and brought up in St. Louis, Tkachuk contributed to leading the Panthers to a six-game series victory against Edmonton Oilers and the team won its second title. Now a two-time champion in his nine NHL seasons, the hard-working winger took the opportunity to sit down with Stugotz, co-host of the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, in a Youtube video.

In the clip titled “Matthew Tkachuk Has Made Winning Stanley Cups Look Easy…”, the conversation quickly turned humorous and revealing. When the host discussed, “Canada cares about hockey, and we’ve taken that away from them in South Florida,” Tkachuk laughed and replied, “Yeah, well, Canada has to hate South Florida.” But then, the Panthers’ star dropped a moment of honesty that caught fans off guard.

“You know, I’ve gotten a few here today that I’m sure are from Western Canadians, like, ‘Can you just let Edmonton get it?’” That strange, semi-serious request was made to him, which shows the desperation some Canadian fans feel, especially as Canada’s Cup drought drags on, Edmonton being their last hope this year. The comment went viral among hockey circles, as it humorously highlighted how serious Canadians are about hockey and how painful it’s been to watch their own teams fall short year after year. But Matthew Tkachuk didn’t express much sympathy.

“Do I feel bad for them?” he said. “I’m like, you don’t feel bad for anybody, because at the end of the day, we lost to Vegas a few years ago and nobody gave a shit about us.” It was typical of Tkachuk’s no-nonsense personality. Still, despite the tension between Canadian heartbreak and Florida triumph, Tkachuk shared a heartfelt appreciation for his adopted hockey home.

Put on the spot again by Stugotz concerning whether Canada took anything against the Panthers triumph, Matthew Tkachuk said, “What I’ve seen from my time in South Florida is they care a ton yes so much about hockey, more than I could have ever pictured. Sorry, I’ve loved playing there. It’s been the time of my life, the best thing that’s happened to me in my hockey career.” However, Tkachuk did not retreat at that; he clearly outlined his plans for the future.

Matthew Tkachuk’s warning still echoes

Recently, when Matthew Tkachuk sat down for his first press conference in South Florida, he revealed the young energy of the Panthers, the weather, and the lifestyle. But one thing kept rising to the top: winning. Not just making plays or settling in. Winning big. “I’m here to be the last team standing,” he said, clear as day. And that line hit hard. Tkachuk arrived with a reputation: a pest, a loudmouth, the guy you love on your team and hate everywhere else.

Tkachuk didn’t just back it up; he transformed the Panthers. His stats? Outstanding: 254 points in just over 200 games, nearly a point per game in the playoffs. But his impact goes way beyond numbers. He played through a broken sternum in the 2023 Final. Tore an adductor off the bone this season and still came back to fight in the playoffs. Was it risky? Sure. But it showed what he’s made of. He took some criticism early, then lit it up late: 14 points in the last two series alone. Three straight seasons, three straight Cup Final appearances. And every step of the way, Tkachuk reshaped the team’s identity. And he’s not done.

In the YouTube video, Tkachuk cracked a grin and looked ahead: “I’m looking forward to hopefully… another one. I don’t know—yeah, three-peat.” At just 27, he’s chasing more than rings. He’s helping build something permanent in South Florida, a hockey culture that’s loud, proud, and unapologetically real. And if that still stings north of the border? Well, that’s kind of the point.