The Florida Panthers have played four games this season, posting a 2-0-2 record ahead of their home opener against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night. Of the 22 players who have dressed for a game so far, 11 have registered a point, with Sam Bennett, Lars Eller, and Matthew Tkachuk leading the way with three points apiece. Meanwhile, seven players who have skated in all four games haven’t scored, including the team’s biggest offseason acquisition: Brady Tkachuk.
Tkachuk has never gone pointless in his first four games
The former fourth overall pick from the 2018 Draft played eight seasons with the Ottawa Senators, serving as their captain for the last five. In June, he was traded from the Canadian capital to Florida to play alongside his brother. In 572 games, the three-time 30-goal scorer had 463 points and 821 penalty minutes. Looking at Tkachuk’s game logs from his eight seasons with the Senators, he's off to the worst start of his career.
- 2018-19: 3G - 3A - 6PTS - 4PIM
- 2019-20: 2G - 1A - 3PTS - 4PIM
- 2020-21: 1G - 2A - 3PTS - 9PIM
- 2021-22: 1G - 2A - 3PTS - 17PIM
- 2022-23: 2G - 4A - 6PTS - 2PIM
- 2023-24: 4G - 1A - 5PTS - 4PIM
- 2024-25: 1G - 5A - 6PTS - 6PIM
- 2025-26: 0G - 4A - 4PTS - 4PIM
Last year, Tkachuk skated in Ottawa’s first three games before getting injured and returning to action on November 28. Still, he averaged a point per game through his first four appearances. Across those 32 games, he scored 14 goals and collected 36 points.
First-year jitters?
For the first time in his NHL career, Tkachuk is adjusting to a new team, city, and organization. Some fans may attribute his slow start to learning a new coach's system. However, playing for a new coach shouldn’t be an issue. During his time with the Senators, he played under five different coaches in just eight years, including two Stanley Cup-winning coaches.
Meanwhile, one possible contributing factor to his slow start may be that his linemate is also pointless. For the first time since joining the Panthers in 2021, former 50-goal scorer Sam Reinhart has opened a season with zero points through four games. The only player from the official second line with a point is Brad Marchand, who suffered a lower-body injury on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
At some point, Tkachuk, who had five preseason points in two games, will break out and give Panthers fans plenty to cheer about. Maybe he’s waiting for the home opener to record another Gordie Howe hat trick. Moreover, Reinhart never goes long without finding his name on the scoresheet. He’s also just waiting for his moment to begin his quest for another 30-goal campaign.
Heading into the season, experts questioned whether the Panthers had enough depth to remain competitive. Through four games, Florida's production throughout the lineup suggests the Cats will be just fine, especially once Tkachuk and Reinhart start collecting points.
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