The Florida Panthers are legitimate contenders heading into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. One major reason for this is the emergence of superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk. We saw the beginning of this emergence in 2021-22 when Tkachuk played his last season with the Calgary Flames. Now, though, his star power has gone beyond the game of hockey.
Tkachuk spoke a bit about his emergence in the NHL. The former first-round pick mentioned that at one point he tried playing a safe brand of hockey. These days, though, he has thrown caution to the wind. Now, he is going to make the plays he can make, regardless of the situation.
“I think maybe earlier in my career, being a young player, not wanting to be the guy that made the mistake, [I] maybe played a little bit safe in the high-pressure situations,” Tkachuk said, via NHL.com “Just trying to play it smart and, honestly, safe’s a perfect word for it.
“And then a couple years ago, I was like, why not make the play when nobody else wants to try to attempt it because they’re too nervous [about] what bad’s gonna happen? And I’ve seemed to go the other way, in the extreme other way, and that’s seemed to work the last few years.”
Pinpointing the change
Matthew Tkachuk recalled the exact moment his outlook on his playing style changed. It came during that 2021-22 NHL season in which he played his final year with the Flames. He decided to go all out, having full confidence in himself to make plays and positively impact his team.
“I was like, ‘Why not?’” Tkachuk said, via NHL.com. “Why wouldn’t you want to be the guy that can make that right play at the last minute of the game or whatever? … I’m like, I’m capable, I feel like I’m a good enough player where I can be confident in myself no matter what the situation is. And that’s just kind of kept going.”
This change in mindset made a world of difference. The former first-round pick broke out, scoring 42 goals and 105 points for the Flames. Calgary made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well. Tkachuk scored 10 points in 12 games as the team bowed out in the second round to the Edmonton Oilers.
Panthers reap benefits
After the 2021-22 NHL season, Matthew Tkachuk made a decision. He informed the Flames that he would not sign a long-term contract to remain in Calgary. As a result, they made him available for trade, and the Panthers won the sweepstakes. Florida acquired the former first-round pick in a major deal involving longtime Panthers mainstay Jonathan Huberdeau.
Tkachuk's new team had their struggles during the season. However, they just snuck into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Arizona native proved his breakout in Calgary was no fluke, scoring 40 goals and 109 points. That said, it was in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that he would truly become a star.
The Panthers matchup with the Boston Bruins. Boston entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs having just broken the single-season record for most wins in a season. And the Bruins raced out to a 3-1 lead, claiming a stranglehold over the season. Florida didn't go away, though. They went on to win the next three games, defeating Boston in seven games.
After that, Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers went on quite the run. Florida lost just one game after the first round en route to the Stanley Cup Final. Tkachuk was vital to this effort. In fact, among the clutch goals he scored was a last-second buzzer-beater in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals to advance.
The Panthers faced the Vegas Golden Knights when the magic ran out. Overall, Tkachuk scored 11 goals and 24 points in 20 games during last season's playoffs. He was crucial to Florida's first Stanley Cup Final appearance since the 1995-96 NHL season.
The Panthers are one of the best teams in the league this year. And while Tkachuk hasn't had the best statistical season, he still plays a vital role. It'll certainly be interesting to see if the former first-round pick can recapture last year's magic and lead Florida on a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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