There has been plenty of chippiness between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. This is unsurprising, as bad blood naturally happens when teams face off against each other in the playoffs.

Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk has not been afraid to get into the rough stuff with Carolina's players. While this is the case, Tkachuk certainly respects the play of Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin and had some kind words to say about him.

"We've got to make it harder on him if he's going to play that much," Tkachuk said to reporters, including NHL.com's Jameson Olive. "He's been incredible, not only this round but all year. Definitely a guy we've got to key on and a very tough player to play against."

It is hard to disagree with Tkachuk's take on Slavin, as he is an elite defensive defenseman and has been a major reason for the Hurricanes' success. The 31-year-old is well-known for his reliable and smart defensive play and has certainly been a difference-maker for the Hurricanes this season. 

While Tkachuk and the Panthers are going to try to throw Slavin off his game in Game 5, he certainly will not make it easy for them to do so. Slavin is an incredibly steady defenseman, and it will be fascinating to see how much of an impact he makes for the Hurricanes in a must-win Game 5 from here. 

Recent Hurricanes News 

3 Hurricanes Who Must Shine In Game 5 vs. Panthers

Hurricanes' Frederik Andersen Bounced Back At Big Time

Charles Barkley Makes Bold Hurricanes Prediction For Game 5

Hurricanes Sign Promising Goalie Prospect To Entry-Level Deal

The Carolina Hurricanes Have Lifted Their Eastern Conference Final Curse

Photo Credit: © James Guillory-Imagn Images