Is Brady Tkachuk already the best Panthers player to wear No. 8?

Thus far in Florida Panthers history, only 15 players have worn the sweater No. 8, with recently acquired Brady Tkachuk slated to be 16. As soon as the news broke of his blockbuster trade on Sunday, the Panthers store got busy making jerseys with the No. 8. With the Ottawa Senators, he wore No. 7, but as many know, Dmitry Kulikov wears those digits, so Tkachuk switched.

At his introductory press conference on Tuesday, he explained the switch, saying, "My dad wore 8 in Atlanta, so I thought that could be a tribute to him as well." His father, Keith Tkachuk, received word over the weekend that he had been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026.

Today, let’s look at former Panthers players who wore No. 8 and their impact on the lineup.

Nico Sturm (2025)

Nico Sturm is the last player to wear No. 8, skating in 15 regular-season games and eight playoff games, while winning the Stanley Cup in June 2025. In total, Sturm collected a single assist in the sweater.

Kyle Okposo (2024)

Kyle Okposo may be one of the most recognizable names to wear No. 8. Acquired at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, he played six regular-season games and 17 more in the playoffs. Overall, Okposo collected just two assists with the Panthers, both in the postseason.

Ben Chiarot (2022)

As another trade deadline acquisition in 2022, Ben Chiarot played 30 games with Florida, including 20 in the regular season and another ten in the playoffs. He scored two goals with six assists, adding one more helper in the postseason.

Matt Kierstad (2020-22)

According to his Hockey Reference profile, Matt Kierstad wore three different numbers during his four seasons with the Panthers, going from No. 8 to No. 3 and No. 4. He skated in a combined 39 games, tallying two goals and seven points, never advancing to the playoffs.

Jayce Hawryluk (2018-2020)

As of 2026, Jayce Hawryluk is the last Panthers player to wear No. 8 for more than 40 regular-season games, skating in 42 games during the 2018-19 campaign and scoring seven goals and 12 points. The following year, before a trade to the Senators, Hawryluk dressed in another 15 games, collecting a goal and three points.

Dylan McIIrath (2017)

Dylan McIlrath played just five games with the Panthers in 2016-17 after joining the club from the New York Rangers. Interestingly, he scored one of his three NHL goals with Florida, his only point in sweater No. 8.

Wojtek Wolski (2012)

Wojtek Wolski remains the only Polish-born player in Panthers history, scoring four goals and nine points in 22 regular-season games, while going pointless in two playoff games. The former first-round pick is one of nine Polish players in NHL history.

Tim Kennedy (2010-2012)

In this century, not many skaters have worn No. 8 for two seasons, but Tim Kennedy is one of them. In 33 games between 2010-11 and 2011-12, he scored a single goal and added two assists to his career totals.

Joel Kwiatkowski (2007)

When Joel Kwiatkowski joined the Panthers for the 2006-07 campaign, he wore No. 20. That year, he skated in 73 games with four goals and 12 points. However, he switched sweaters the following season before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While wearing No. 8, Kwiatkowski scored five goals and ten points in 41 games.

Valeri Bure (2004)

Valeri Bure skated with the Panthers in two different stints, missing a chance to skate with his Hall of Fame brother, Pavel, who still holds the franchise record for most goals in a single season. From 2001 to 2003, Valeri wore No. 20, but when he came back for the 2003-04 campaign, he played 55 games, scoring 20 goals and 45 points, arguably the best season for a player in No. 8 in franchise history.

Peter Worrell (1999-2003)

Peter Worrell is one of the longest-tenured Panthers players on this list, skating with the club from 1997 to 2003 and switching numbers after his second season. He swapped from No. 28 to No. 8 ahead of the 1999-2000 campaign and would go on to wear his new number for 261 games, scoring 12 goals and 33 points over four seasons. Historically, Worrell is the first Panthers player to score a playoff goal wearing No. 8.

Jaroslav Špaček (1999)

Jaroslav Špaček made his NHL debut wearing No. 8, skating in 63 games during the 1998-99 season, tallying three goals and 15 points while finishing plus-15. Following that rookie season, he switched to No. 28 and wore it for a season and a half before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Craig Martin (1997)

Craig Martin is the first player in Panthers history to wear No. 8 for a single game, achieving the feat on Nov. 11, 1996. Despite going pointless, he did register a shot on goal and picked up a five-minute major for fighting.

Magnus Svensson (1996)

During his two seasons with the Panthers, Magnus Svensson wore two different numbers, No. 28 and No. 8. It was during his second season, 1995-96, that he made the switch. In his new threads, Svensson scored two goals and 11 points, becoming the first player ever to score a goal wearing No. 8.

Dallas Eakins (1992-1998)

Dallas Eakins will always be the first player to wear No. 8 in team history, first donning the digits for the inaugural 1992-93 campaign. However, he wore the jersey on numerous occasions, having skated with the St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, and New York Rangers in between turns with No. 8. In three seasons, Eakins played 41 games with no goals and just two assists.

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