This month, the former high school classmates supported one another during the playoffs as they each won their individual league titles.
It’s the kind of stuff they might have dreamt about in gym class.
On Monday, June 24, Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 to complete their first Stanley Cup victory. The team’s standout player and fellow high school student, Jayson Tatum, who had won his first NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics just a week earlier, now had his childhood ambition fulfilled with the victory.
“They did it!” ESPN captioned an Instagram post, which included a throwback video of Tatum and Tkachuk, now both 26, goofing around in gym class at Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis and giving fake sports interviews.
Tatum celebrated the fact that the two childhood buddies can both call themselves champions after a storybook week for the St. Louis locals by sharing the post on his Instagram Stories on Tuesday morning. The post included another old photo of Tatum and Tkachuk seated next to each other on the bus. Before he and the Celtics won the NBA Championship earlier this month, Tatum declared, “I’m a big Matthew fan,” at a press conference in Dallas. “On Monday, I witnessed him triumph in person. I hope he and his family win it all because I’m very thrilled for them.
Tkachuk told reporters at the Stanley Cup Final Media Day earlier this month that he was watching Tatum’s games throughout the NBA Playoffs as well.
“Yeah, it’s actually really cool when you think about it,” he said during the Stanley Cup Final Media Day, according to NHL.com. “Everyone from St. Louis, whether they were going to watch or not, with having both of us in, I’d say there’s a lot of people, especially the kids we grew up with and families and people who know us, they’re pulling for both teams. It’s super cool to have that support back home for not only myself, but for the Celtics as well.”
Tkachuk added, “It would be unreal for Chaminade and all of St. Louis if we can both win it.”
Well, mission accomplished.
The NHL star, who told PEOPLE last year he’s attracted so many fans in South Florida by “just being myself,” also celebrated Monday night’s Stanley Cup win with his family on the ice.
Matthew’s father, Keith Tkachuk, a 500-goal scorer throughout his 18-year NHL career, broke down in tears after the game ended and his son jumped in celebration with his Panthers teammates, according to NHL.com.
Meanwhile, his mom, Chantel, and his brother, current Ottawa Senators star Brady Tkachuk, were all smiles as the Tkachuk family shared hugs in the stands before heading down to ice level to celebrate with Matthew and the rest of the Panthers players’ families, the outlet reported.
“This is for them,” Tkachuk told NHL.com after the game. “Finally, the Tkachuk name will be on the Cup. This is for them.”
