Ex-Flames Tkachuk, Bennett reigniting Oilers rivalry

SUNRISE, Fla. — Corey Perry smiles and laughs when you ask the question.

Does Perry see a little of himself in Matthew Tkachuk?

“Probably, yeah,” replies Perry, who knows what you’re talking about. “He’s definitely been doing it for a while. It’s an art, right? It’s fun to watch.

“We’ve had some good battles against each other. You know what you’re gonna get with him.”

What you’re gonna get is a dangerous playmaker who thrives in the muck and shines in the spotlight. A guy who never shies from the grand moment — like, say, a Stanley Cup Final — but relishes all the tiny, dirty ones along the way.

A player who grasps what rivalry means and knows how to worm his way under an opponent’s skin to the point where you want to rip that mouthguard out of his mouth and chuck it into the stands.

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Yes, in Florida Panthers stars Tkachuk and the differently nasty Sam Bennett, the Edmonton Oilers are about to get reacquainted with a couple of old enemies. A couple of old Flames will surely rekindle a spark.

Darnell Nurse fondly remembers Tkachuk’s Calgary days, when he laid “a couple of hits that ignited some scraps” and routinely elevated the game’s temperature when he stepped on the ice.

“Probably the most fun the Battle of Alberta ever was,” says Nurse, speaking of his era. “The animosity and the heat that was going on in that series — he brought a lot of it in his style of play.”

That series, Edmonton’s wild second-round victory over the Flames in 2022, marked Tkachuk’s final days in Alberta.

Tkachuk took his talents to South Florida in a Bill Zito–directed summer blockbuster that reunited him with Bennett and altered the trajectory of two franchises.

The Panthers haven’t missed a playoff round since; the Flames haven’t been back to the dance.

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Panthers fourth-liner Ryan Lomberg, another ex-Flame, remembers lighting up when the trade broke.

“I remember telling one of my buddies: ‘We might lose more regular season games, but we’re gonna win more playoff games.’ And that’s exactly how it’s played out,” Lomberg says. “Billy called him a unicorn when he first got him… I think he nailed it.”

Panthers veteran Kyle Okposo talks about Tkachuk the same way teammates talk about Perry.

“He will do anything to win, so he’s a guy you want on your team all the time,” Okposo says.

“He just has that fun, old-school mentality to him that you don’t see much anymore. When I first got into the league, that’s how everybody was. So, it’s a bit of a throwback for me to Brendan Witt, Bill Guerin, Dougie Weight, those type of guys. That’s who he reminds me of more than the new generation.”

If Tkachuk — the defensively responsible 100-point superstar who agitates and instigates like a role player — is a unicorn, Bennett is a bull.

2024 Stanley Cup Final: Oilers vs. Panthers

Keep up with the latest news and analysis from the Stanley Cup Final as the Edmonton Oilers face the Florida Panthers and look to end Canada’s championship drought. All games can be watched on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

Full coverage

The Flames’ fourth-overall pick in 2014 is just as likely to score a clutch goal as he is to deliver an injurious hit. Ask Brad Marchand. Or Matthew Knies.

Bennett struggled with role and consistency in Calgary before he was dealt south, but like so many castaways, he’s found an ideal niche with the Cats, blooming into a 20-goal, top-six forward and a menace along the boards.

Their formative NHL years facing Edmonton on a regular basis are sure to trigger some deja vu over the coming weeks.

“The Battle of Alberta was always intense. Chucky brought a little extra spark to that,” Bennett says. “It’s a big rivalry. Anytime you play against Edmonton, it was an intense battle, hard slog every game. So definitely, I still remember those hard games — and I’m sure they’re going to be pretty intense again.”

An American who spent six years in Alberta, Tkachuk recognizes the passion and hype around the series accelerates north of the 49th.

“Not only Edmonton, but everyone in Canada is going to be glued to their TVs watching. Playing in Calgary, you see the passion Canadian fans have,” says Tkachuk, who is prepared to hear it from the Ice District mob.

“Last year I was booed every time I touched the puck, but this year was nothing. I have no idea.”

On Friday, Tkachuk was bubbling with giddy anticipation of the unknown, of what a fresh battle against a familiar foe could bring Saturday.

“It’s kind of like a Christmas Eve feeling right now,” he smiled. “It’s a very good time to be a Florida Panther.”

Whereas Calgary gave up on Bennett, Tkachuk’s departure was orchestrated by the player. He “saw something special” in Florida, a chance to win, to lead, to grow.

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“If you ask anyone in the league [to name] one guy you don’t want to play against or one guy you want on your team, I think he’s at the top of most people’s lists,” says teammate Sam Reinhart, yet another high draft pick who saved his best hockey for his second team.

“Fortunately, when he was in Calgary, he was in a different conference, and we didn’t have to see him too often. But he’s a gamer. I think there’s so much more to it than the on-ice that he brings. Right from Day One two years ago, we saw it — the presence he’s had in the room, the type of leader he is, the type of personality he is. I think as we’ve gone along these last two years everyone’s seen the selflessness he’s showed. He’s a team-first guy, and that’s what you want out of your leaders and your top offensive guys.”

That Tkachuk and Bennett and the Oilers are all contending for a Stanley Cup must be a nightmare for Calgary fans, who will either see their fiercest rival or a couple of good Ones that Got Away touch the mountaintop.

“They were Flames there for a little bit,” Lomberg says. “They’re Florida Panthers now. I think Chucky said it in his first press conference: He hates Tampa Bay more than he hates Edmonton. That’s how those guys roll.

“They’re South Florida guys now, and they ride with the Cats.”