Former NFL star J.J. Watt shows appreciation for Stanley Cup Playoffs after Oilers-Panthers clash heads to second straight OT

J.J. Watt, the former NFL defensive star, couldn't hide his excitement as the Stanley Cup Playoffs 2025 delivered yet another thrilling overtime battle. After the Game 1 overtime win for the Edmonton Oilers against the Florida Panthers, both teams went to OT once again in Game 2.

Watt took to social media to share his reaction.

“Nothing beats the Stanley Cup Playoffs!!! 🤯🤯🤯” Watt posted on X.

For Watt, this wasn’t just casual fandom. Long before he became a force on the football field, hockey was his first love. The Wisconsin native laced up his skates at the age of three and played competitively until he was 13. His passion for hockey took him across North America and even to Germany for a tournament.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Peter King last year, Watt shared his love for hockey.

“Hockey, honestly, was my first love," Watt said, via giveandgosport.ca "The excitement, the fast pace, the intensity of the game. I still love it to this day."

Watt admitted that it wasn’t skill or injury that forced him to give up hockey, but finances.

"I had to quit," Watt talked about the reason behind leaving hockey. "It was financial. It was extremely expensive. My family is a middle-class family...I could not believe that my parents let us play as long as they did... the best years of my life."

Watt's favorite hockey player was athlete Gordie Howe, who was known for his longevity and physical dominance. He even got to meet Howe in his childhood once.

As the Oilers and Panthers battle it out again in the Stanley Cup Final, following last year’s dramatic seven-game series, Watt’s appreciation for hockey is still on the rise.

Oilers won Game 1 in overtime: 2025 Stanley Cup finals

The Edmonton Oilers won Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final 4-3 in overtime against the Florida Panthers after overcoming a two-goal deficit.

Leon Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead just over a minute into the first period. Sam Bennett tied the game at 1-1 and later made it 3-1 with his second goal. Brad Marchand also scored for Florida on a power play. Viktor Arvidsson answered quickly to cut Florida’s lead to 3-2.

In the third period, Mattias Ekholm tied the game 3-3 after a pass from Connor McDavid. The Oilers kept pressing and finally scored in overtime. Draisaitl finished a power-play goal after great passes from his teammates, giving the Oilers a 1-0 series lead.

However, the Panthers bounced back in Game 2, tying the series 1-1 with a dramatic overtime winner by Brad Marchand — his second goal of the game.