Matthew Tkachuk is going to be a problem for the Rangers in this Eastern Conference Final series.
One could safely say that Mark Messier ranks among the foremost hockey leaders of all-time. The Rangers wish they had him now as they did in 1994 when they last won The Stanley Cup.
They don't; but the Florida Panthers do have a reasonable facsimile of Messier only his name is Matthew Tkachuk.
Rangers fans got a good – rather sad – look at Tkachuk who almost single-handedly beat the Blueshirts in Game 1 of Round Three.
He scored the first – and what proved to be the winning goal. He torpedoed the Rangers at every turn and assisted on Florida's cushion goal at the end.
In between, he did what he does best, leading by example. In The Hockey News Yearbo editor-in-chief Ryan Kennedy found someone who knew Tkachuk as an opponent and, later as a teammate – defenseman Marc Staal.
For my money Staal delivered as accurate an appraisal of this neo-Messier as I've ever seen:
"Tkachuk plays a style that not many players play; and he does it at a high level. He's active in front of the net, he's very smart, and he enjoys being in the mix. He doesn't shy away from it. He's a lot of fun to play with because he's always competing."
Or, how about Tkachuk on Tkachuk:
"I know what type of game I need to play for me to play well. And I know when I'm not playing well what I need to change. That consistency is the biggest thing, playing a very similar way throughout this year."
Is there a neo-Messier like that on the Rangers?
Who, Breadman? Nix. Kreider? Getting there but never will make that level.
There is none and that's why the New Yorkers lost Game 1! But will one emerge before this series is over?
Let's wait and see.