The Defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, have opened their season with stretches where everything clicked, followed by moments where their pace slipped. That mix has kept them in the middle of the Atlantic Division and pushed them into a constant chase for a clearer identity.

Matthew Tkachuk, who has not debuted this season, remains the heartbeat of their group despite being on injured reserve. His absence has clearly impacted the Panthers’ season, as they strive to stay in contention. Tkachuk has helped the Panthers win two straight Stanley Cups, but his latest claim about the fans in Edmonton will leave you surprised.

Did Oilers Fans Really Try To Disrupt the Panthers’ Rest?

Florida and Edmonton share a similar path this season. The Panthers hold a 10-8-1 record and hover around the middle of their division while trying to find a smoother flow. Edmonton sits at 9-8-4, showing flashes of control but also slipping away too easily in some games. Both teams have faced each other twice in the last two Stanley Cup finals, and their rivalry is rising with each passing day.

Tkachuk is no stranger to this matchup. Florida’s two straight Stanley Cup wins over Edmonton keep the rivalry active every time the teams cross paths. In a recent episode of Wingmen with Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, he shared a story that adds a new wrinkle to the back-and-forth between these teams.

The Panthers winger described the chaos around the Oilers arena during the playoff series when fans pack outdoor watch areas and fill the streets with noise. According to him, the commotion reached the players’ hotel.

“This is so off topic, but w-when we were playing Edmonton, I don’t know if it was as bad this year, but a couple years ago, they’d have, like, their watch parties outside or their, their lot parties right outside the rink, and our hotel was right there, and the horns were going off,” Tkachuk said.

“Like, like hundreds of horns just beeping at… I’m convinced there is a shady text chain at Edmonton being like, ‘They’re staying at this hotel, do not let them sleep.’ And it worked. I didn’t really sleep that much.”

Whether it was a planned effort or simply the sound of a city living in the moment, the impact on players trying to rest clearly stuck with him, his story arrives at a time when both Florida and Edmonton continue to search for more complete performances.

Also read: Panthers Trade Rumors: ‘Wildly Unlikely’ Florida Will Land 3-Time Stanley Cup Champion

The Panthers score 3.00 goals per game and lean on Brad Marchand’s 23 points. Edmonton is also achieving nearly identical production, averaging 3.00 goals per game, with Connor McDavid at 30 points and Leon Draisaitl at 13 goals. The Oilers’ power play remains one of their most potent weapons at 30.8%, but their defense continues to hurt them.

The Panthers have had strong wins like their recent 8-5 win against the Vancouver Canucks, but they drop tight games that slow their push. The Oilers show they can strike back, yet fall into defensive lapses that cost them late.