Matthew Tkachuk called his Florida Panthers teammate, Sam Bennett, an upgrade for Team Canada over injured Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli.
Team USA's Matthew Tkachuk seems to have carried over a hot NHL rivalry over to the Olympics.
On Monday, Tkachuk commented on Team Canada adding Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett in place of injured Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli.
"Really good player, definitely an upgrade for their team," Tkachuk told reporters in Milan of his Panthers teammate, Bennett, getting the call to join Team Canada at the Olympics.
Tkachuk's praise for Bennett is also a slight dig at Cirelli.
Tampa Bay and Florida faced off for the fourth time this season in their final game before the Olympic break. That matchup showcased the hatred between the two clubs.
In Thursday's contest, both teams finished with a combined 167 penalty minutes. Eleven individuals received misconduct penalties, including Panthers coach Paul Maurice.
Across their four meetings this regular season, the Lightning and the Panthers have accumulated 369 penalty minutes. Including pre-season games, that number jumps up to 905 penalty minutes across seven contests.
So, for Tkachuk, that rivalry between the two Florida teams doesn't stop in North America, and he's carried the Battle of Florida over the Atlantic Ocean and into Milan.
While the Lightning's Cirelli and Brayden Point won't be suiting up for Canada due to injury, left winger Brandon Hagel will still be representing Canada. Tkachuk and Hagel had a spirited tilt in their last meeting and at the 4 Nations Face-Off, so there will be no shortage of physicality between them on the ice if they meet up in the knockout stages.
Furthermore, Tkachuk will have his opportunity to keep the Battle of Florida brewing at the Olympics, with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Zemgus Girgensons of Denmark and Latvia, respectively, sharing Group C with the Americans.
Lightning players Victor Hedman, Pontus Holmberg, J.J. Moser and Erik Cernak will all represent their countries at the Games.
To counter Tampa Bay's representation at the Olympics, the Panthers have the most players competing in this tournament, including Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Mikkola, Sandis Vilamnis, Uvis Balinskis and Gustav Forsling.
The Battle of Florida will be sprinkled throughout the competition, which begins Wednesday and lasts until Feb. 22.
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