On Friday night, the Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames came together on one of the biggest trades in recent NHL history. The two teams swapped 100+ point wingers as the identities of both teams changed drastically.

The Panthers traded Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a lottery-protected 2025 first-round pick to the Alberta-based franchise in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick.

On Monday, the Panthers introduced their new star to the media in South Florida. The team also shared a letter penned by Tkachuk himself to their fans.

The 24-year-old Arizona native said the trade has yet to sink in fully. Even on his way to Monday morning's press conference, it still feels surreal to the star winger.

“As I was driving into the arena this morning for the press conference, I really started to think about how this is where I'll be playing my games now. This is my home rink. It's crazy. Even after getting a tour, meeting some of the guys and seeing my new jersey, it still feels surreal,” Tkachuk wrote.

Tkachuk's trade came about after he informed the Flames he would not sign with them long-term. According to Tkachuk, the Panthers were an obvious choice for him.

“I wanted to be on a team that is not only competitive now, but was also set up to be for the foreseeable future. Like any player, I want a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Looking closely at the Panthers – their core, coaches, managers, location, etc. – it just felt like the perfect spot,” Tkachuk wrote.

The Panthers star mentioned that he was with family when it all went down. They were celebrating the engagement of his brother, Brady. Brady Tkachuk is a star forward for the Ottawa Senators.

“With my brother getting engaged, it just gave us another reason to celebrate. It was great being able to share the whole moment with my family. It's something I'll never forget. Up until then, I'd kept it pretty tight as the trade started to materialize, so it was a fun surprise for everyone there.”

Tkachuk signed an eight-year, $76 million contract with the Flames prior to the deal. Calgary general manager Brad Treliving said it was the first sign and trade deal in NHL history.

Obviously, the Panthers winger is excited about the future. And he seems happy he had family there to share the moment.