“Dumbest things”: Matthew Tkachuk faces fan backlash after taking Stanley Cup to jail in latest celebration stunt

Matthew Tkachuk is no stranger to headline-grabbing antics, but his latest move with the Stanley Cup has fans sharply divided. After helping lead the Florida Panthers to their second straight championship in June 2025, the star forward has taken his victory lap to wild new heights—or depths, depending on who you ask.

From ocean dips to jail visits, Matthew Tkachuk’s Stanley Cup celebrations continue to defy expectations

From dunking the Cup in the ocean last year (“zero hours of sleep, about 40 beers later,” as Tkachuk famously put it) to now bringing it into a jailhouse, the 26-year-old winger clearly isn’t interested in playing by the NHL’s unspoken rules. This week, a viral photo shared by Spittin' Chiclets on X (formerly Twitter) showed Mathew Tkachuk at the Brentwood Police Department—with none other than Lord Stanley by his side.

“Matthew Tkachuk brought Lord Stanley to JAIL 😂,” the post read. And fans had thoughts—lots of them.

NHL fans accuse Matthew Tkachuk of disrespecting hockey tradition

There’s a longstanding tradition in the NHL that only members of the championship-winning team may touch, carry, or display the Stanley Cup—and even then, it’s expected to be done with a degree of reverence. Tkachuk’s jail visit, paired with his party-first reputation, didn’t sit well with many purists.One commenter @KPBails blasted the scene: “This is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen.”

Another user @getmangled added bluntly, “Lame.” One user @chuckEgoods even questioned the culture of the Panthers altogether: “Nobody should ever wonder why normal hockey fans don’t like that franchise.”Still, Tkachuk seems unfazed. Speaking during the team's post-win celebrations, he embraced the chaos with a swaggering quip: “I would like to apologize to absolutely f—–g nobody, because the double champs does what the f— he wants.”

A villain to some, a hero to others

While critics see him as a showboating rule-breaker, many fans—especially in South Florida—view Tkachuk as the fiery heart of a once-overlooked team now basking in hockey glory. Whether he's tossing tradition aside or just having fun, one thing’s clear: Tkachuk isn’t changing anytime soon. And neither, it seems, is the Panthers’ bold new identity.Also Read: Mathew Tkachuk injury fallout: Panthers face major setback as star may need surgery and miss 2026 opener

FAQs

Q: Why are NHL fans upset with Matthew Tkachuk?

Fans believe Matthew Tkachuk disrespected tradition by bringing the Stanley Cup to a police station.

Q: What did Matthew Tkachuk say during the Panthers' celebration?

Mathew Tkachuk joked, “I would like to apologize to absolutely f—–g nobody, because the double champs does what the f— he wants.”

Q: Has Matthew Tkachuk broken Stanley Cup traditions before?

Yes, in 2024 he famously dunked the Cup in the ocean after a wild night of partying.