The Florida Panthers were the last team in the Eastern Conference to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and just over a week before, Keith Tkachuk went on a rant blasting the same team that will play in the Stanley Cup Final next week.

On Mar. 29, Tkachuk made an appearance on TSN 1050 in Toronto ahead of the team's game against the Leafs, calling his son's team soft and lamenting such a talented squad playing so poorly.

“I'm a little disappointed in the Panthers,” Tkachuk said on the station, per Associated Press. “They're a soft team and they're getting everything they deserve right now. It's up to them to get their butts going and start playing like the team that should be a lot better than what they're showing right now.”

At that time, the Panthers were a longshot to make the playoffs after losing four straight games and sitting out of a playoff spot.

The rant certainly seemed to inspire son Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers, who won their regular season game in Toronto before going on a scorching run to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“He's still in timeout,” Matthew Tkachuk laughed, explaining that he's urged his dad not to do any more interviews.

It's been a Cinderella story for the ages in South Florida; the No. 8 seeded Panthers beat the best regular season team of all time in the Boston Bruins in Game 7, before rolling over the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes with ease in Rounds 2 and 3.

Matthew Tkachuk has been a catalyst of that success, scoring an outrageous three of the four game winners in the Eastern Conference Final and leading the playoffs with nine goals and 21 points. He's been incredible.

“The ride's been unreal,” Tkachuk said. “It's not like anything's changed with our team. I'm just surrounded by so many great players that make it super easy. I feel so lucky. Just being with this team, it's been unbelievable.”

Maybe Keith Tkachuk's rant was just what the Panthers needed, and they have completely changed the narrative en route to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1996.