The best time of the year is finally upon us: the Stanley Cup Playoffs start this weekend, and the first-round matchups are already loaded with excitement. But things could get even juicier in Round 2—because Matthew Tkachuk has now shared his true feelings about potentially facing off against his brother, Brady Tkachuk, in the postseason.
For hockey fans, there’s nothing better than the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s where the best players in the world go head-to-head week after week, all chasing the same goal: to hoist the most prestigious trophy in sports—the Stanley Cup.
The playoffs always deliver drama and intensity, but this year already feels more electric than ever. In the first round, we’ve got the Battle of Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators take on the Toronto Maple Leafs. There’s also the “Battle of Mikko Rantanen,” as the Finnish star’s Dallas Stars face off against his former team, the Colorado Avalanche. And for the fourth straight year, the Edmonton Oilers and LA Kings will meet again in what’s becoming a fierce postseason rivalry.
But Round 2 could take the drama to a whole new level. If the Florida Panthers eliminate the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Senators manage to knock off Toronto, we’ll get something we’ve never seen before: Matthew vs. Brady Tkachuk in the playoffs.
Matthew Tkachuk on playing Brady
The Tkachuks played together during the 4 Nations Face-Off and have gone head-to-head in the regular season—but never in the postseason. Both brothers are known as two of the toughest players in the NHL, and the idea of them colliding in a playoff series is pure chaos in the best way.
Matthew Tkachuk recently shared his thoughts on the potential matchup with Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show:
“We’re not playing each other first round. If we both win, we’ll meet in the second round. I guess we both just gotta take care of our own business and make that happen. I think that’d be really cool—not only for myself and Brady, but for our whole family,” he said.
Matthew Tkachuk also didn’t hold back on how hard it would be to play against his brother:
“It was way more fun playing with him than against him, so I’m not looking forward to going up against him,” he said.
“He’s a beast. He’ll probably be the toughest guy in the league to play against in a playoff series. It would not be fun.”
READ MORE: Filip Gustavsson’s great gesture in Marc-Andre Fleury’s final game
