Former Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk is now engaged.
Ellie Connell, the now-fiancée of the Florida Panthers superstar, posted the exciting news to her Instagram account earlier today.
Congrats to Matthew Tkachuk and Ellie Connell on getting engaged!
Matthew just can’t stop winning 👀#TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/v7R7PxWg7V
— David R (@David954FLA) April 18, 2024
Both Tkachuk and Connell tend to shy away from the public spotlight, so their relationship has generally been kept private. They did, however, attend last year’s NHL awards together, which the Panthers posted on X.
Absolutely owned the red carpet pic.twitter.com/Vs4g2eUUBT
— y – Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 26, 2023
Tkachuk, 26, spent six seasons with the Flames after being selected sixth overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. He was viewed by many as the heart and soul of the team but caused heartbreak throughout all of Calgary when he told the organization following the 2021-22 season that he wasn’t interested in signing a long-term deal.
With just one season remaining on his contract at the time, former Flames general manager Brad Treliving acted fast, trading him to the Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a conditional first-round pick in 2025.
While already viewed as a star talent with the Flames, Tkachuk’s career has skyrocketed since joining the Panthers. His first season with the team in 2022-23 saw him score 40 goals and set a career-high 109 points in 79 games. He went on to lead the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final, where they fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Despite the disappointment of losing last year, the Panthers are once again in a great position to go the distance. After barely squeaking into the playoffs last season, they were able to clinch the Atlantic Division title this time around, thanks to an extremely impressive 52-24-6 record. Tkachuk’s personal stats were down from a season ago, but remained solid with 26 goals and 88 points.
While Tkachuk and his teammates will soon be gearing up for what they hope is a long playoff run, he and Connell are sure to have a day or two of celebration beforehand. Congratulations to the happy couple!
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