Tkachuk: 'Pretty clear' Panthers, Oilers are 'best teams in the league'

Matthew Tkachuk is confident the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between his Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will be a showcase of the two top clubs the NHL has to offer.

"Not very often do you see a rematch in pro sports in the finals," Tkachuk said Friday on "The Pat McAfee Show."

"I think that it's the two best teams in the league, and, to be honest, I think it's pretty clear that we're the two best. It's going to make for an incredible final."

The Panthers got the last laugh last spring, beating the Oilers in Game 7 for their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Florida jumped out to a 3-0 series lead before Edmonton rattled off three straight wins, setting up a dramatic finale.

Citing Edmonton's postseason dominance this year, Tkachuk said he and his teammates are bracing for another hard-fought bout. The Oilers stumbled out of the gate in these playoffs, going down 0-2 to the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round. However, they've been nearly unbeatable since, losing only one game to the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2 and one to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.

"12-2 is incredible in the regular season - it's almost unheard of in the playoffs," Tkachuk said. "They're playing the best hockey of the year so far for them, and it's going to be a battle for us."

The Oilers also have home-ice advantage in the final, which they didn't have last spring.

Edmonton has dominated at Rogers Place this postseason, boasting a 6-1 record while scoring 4.71 goals per game. Meanwhile, the Panthers have been a force on the road in these playoffs, going 8-2 and outscoring opponents 48-21.

"We've got our hands full," Tkachuk said. "We're gonna take that underdog mindset and mentality and go up there and try to do what we did last year."

Part of the battle will be limiting superstar Connor McDavid, but Tkachuk emphasized that the Oilers have more weapons in their arsenal beyond their captain.

"When you're playing against the best player in the world, he's always going to give you a challenge each and every night," he said. "But it's not just him. They're a deep team. They play really hard, both ends of the ice. Their goalie's playing incredible right now.

"I think the thing that's underrated with them is their defense. They make it hard to get to the net; they block a lot of shots. All the stuff that you've gotta do to have a successful team."

The puck drops on Game 1 at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.