For Matthew Tkachuk, the Stanley Cup is a Family Affair

SUNRISE — Matthew Tkachuk has made sure that his family is fully involved in his celebrations with the Stanley Cup.

When the Florida Panthers won the Cup on Monday night, the entire Tkachuk clan was there for it — from dad Keith to younger brother Brady as well as mom Chantal and sister Taryn.

Brady Tkachuk, of course, is captain of the Ottawa Senators; Keith Tkachuk spent 18 seasons in the NHL and never won the Stanley Cup.

Keith Tkachuk had plenty of time getting acquainted with it this week.

“I’m so proud of that kid,’’ Keith Tkachuk said Monday night, not long after Matthew passed him the Cup on the ice for his dad to hoist for the first time.

Said Matthew: “This was for them. Now, the Tkachuk name is on the Stanley Cup. Yeah, this is for them. It was a long time coming, but this was for them and that is the best part of this.”

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The Panthers have been celebrating with the Stanley Cup the past couple of days, with Keith helping lead the party by driving it and a number of teammates — including captain Sasha Barkov — on Matthew’s golf cart to the Fort Lauderdale beachfront on Tuesday morning.

One of the videos shared on social media from early in the partying on Tuesday captured Matthew and Keith hoisting the Stanley Cup from the second-floor balcony at Elbo Room.

This was after Matthew and Barkov almost drowned Keith with a Cup full of brew in the postgame locker room party.

“No one is partying like my dad,’’ Matthew said. “He is at the draft now, but he’ll be back for the parade. We’re really looking forward to having the whole family here for that.’’

Keith Tkachuk’s mood was much different before Florida won it.

He was, in his own words, a mess as the Stanley Cup Final dragged on.

Before the Panthers flew to Edmonton for Game 6, Keith Tkachuk attended practice at the IcePlex and sat among the media atop the ice — and was a nervous wreck.

To see his son come so close to the glory which had alluded him in a career many consider Hall of Fame worthy, Keith Tkachuk could barely contain himself as Florida worked its way to the Stanley Cup.

When time ran out on the 2-1 win in Game 7 on Monday night, cameras panned to the Tkachuk gathering in the arena as they all celebrated Florida’s victory.

With his arm around Chantal as Brady celebrated, Keith Tkachuk wiped tears from his eyes.

“Yeah, I was up in the stands crying,” he said. “Who wouldn’t? That is my son down there. He just won the Stanley Cup.”

On Thursday morning, Matthew said he got a text message from his dad.

There was not much to it.

“You’re a Stanley Cup champion,’’ Matthew said. “That was it. No matter where we are, what we do, what time it is; we will always be Stanley Cup champions. That was a nice reminder.’’

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UP NEXT FOR THE FLORIDA PANTHERS

• Stanley Cup Championship Parade, Fort Lauderdale: Sunday, 11 a.m.
• NHL Draft, Las Vegas: Friday-Saturday
• NHL Free Agency: Monday
• Florida Panthers Development Camp, Fort Lauderdale: Early July
• Florida Panthers Training Camp, Fort Lauderdale: Mid-September
• Florida Panthers Preseason: Sept. 22-Oct. 5
• Florida Panthers Opening Night/Banner Unveiling: TBA