Tkachuk has been a consistent source of production and leadership for the Panthers
Tkachuk has been a consistent source of production and leadership for the Panthers
In a season full of ups and downs and twists and turns, one of the most constant things about the Florida Panthers has been the play of Matthew Tkachuk.
The 25-year-old is skating in his first season with Florida after being acquired in an offseason trade with Calgary for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt and a first-round pick.
As we near the finish line for the regular season, Tkachuk has been everything the Panthers could have hoped for, and more.
He’s racked up 32 goals and 92 points over his first 66 games wearing a Florida sweater, which had him tied for fourth in the NHL scoring race with Boston’s David Pastrnak entering Sunday’s play.
It’s the most points by a first year Panthers player in team history.
With 13 games remaining, Tkachuk may not challenge Huberdeau’s franchise mark of 115 points set last season, but he almost surely will end up second on that list, as the current silver medalist is Sasha Barkov’s 96 points in 2018-19.
Tkachuk would need 24 points over the next 13 games to beat Huberdeau’s record. To be fair, he’s got 10 points over his past four games, and he also had a stretch of 28 points in 15 games in January and February, so if he keeps close to that kind of pace, the Panthers could have a new single-season points record by the time the year is out.
Tkachuk was acquired and signed to an 8-year contract because he was viewed as being a potential superstar. A “unicorn” according to Panthers General Manager Bill Zito.
One year into that contract, he has clearly not disappointed.
As the season has gone by, Tkachuk has appeared to grow more confident and comfortable in his new digs.
“I'm surrounded by so much talent here that it's very easy for me to go out there and just play my game,” he said. “It’s amazing, the talent on this team.”
On Saturday, Tkachuk netted what ended up as the game-winning goal as Florida erased a two-goal third period deficit to defeat the New Jersey Devils.
Let’s set the stage.
Down 2-0 entering the third period, Florida had just tied the game on goals by Barkov and Sam Reinhart that were only 1:40 apart. FLA Live Arena was rocking.
Less than a minute later, Radko Gudas had the puck on his stick as he skated backwards over the Panthers blue line. He shifted his weight and began moving forward, because he spotted Carter Verhaeghe circling around the neutral zone and knew he was about to be wide open at the New Jersey blue line.
Gudas fired a perfect cross-ice pass that hit Verhaeghe in stride for as easy a zone entry as you could ask for while on the rush.
Verhaeghe moved back across the Devils zone while deking through several defenders as Tkachuk entered the zone and cut in front of him.
Tkachuk slid through two Devils just as Verhaeghe sauced a perfect backhand pass right on his stick. The defenders had been watching Verhaeghe, so Tkachuk found himself all alone at the top of the crease.
“That was sick, backhand right on my tape,” Tkachuk said of Verhaeghe’s pass. “Just allowed me to have a mini breakaway there (because) he brought two guys two him. It was an awesome pass.”
All in one motion, Tkachuk received the pass and slid the puck from his forehand to his backhand, moving in the opposite direction of Devils goalie Akira Schmid, who was sliding in the direction of the pass, toward the middle of the ice.
Tkachuk deposited the puck into the open side of the net and immediately exploded toward the corner, dropping to one knee before sliding a glove along the ice and then pumping that fist into the air.
He screamed in scowl-faced joy as his teammates surrounded him on the ice, yelling what appeared to be profanity-laced paraphrasing of the popular term ‘Let’s Go!’
His celebration was very possibly the biggest outburst of joy we’ve seen from Tkachuk this season.
It makes sense, as every time Florida hits the ice between now and the end of their schedule, they’re playing in their biggest game of their season. It’s been that way for several weeks.
That’s what happens when you’re one of several teams competing for just one or two playoff spots.
A huge game. On home ice.
Tkachuk was definitely ‘in the moment’ during that celly.
“It was probably one of the most excited I’ve been this year after one of my goals,” he said. “I’m happy that one went in.”
The Panthers appear to be hitting their stride at the perfect time. They are 6-1-1 over their last eight games, by far their best stretch of the season.
If things continue moving in this direction, there could be even bigger celebrations from Tkachuk to come.
“It’s all about stringing together wins from now on,” he said. “I guess we’re kind of scoreboard watching, but at the end of the day you’ve got to take care of your business first. Hopefully we can keep doing that.”