The Florida Panthers wrapped up a four-game road trip with a convincing 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. On a night loaded with star power, the Cats got contributions from all the usual suspects, including Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, and Seth Jones, while Akira Schmid delivered his best performance of the season. Meanwhile, the Jets dropped their sixth game in a row and can’t find their footing after the blockbuster trade of franchise icon Connor Hellebuyck. Overall, it was a great game by the Panthers from start to finish, so let’s dig into Claws and Flaws.
Claw: Matthew Tkachuk is the heartbeat of the Panthers offense
There’s no denying that captain Aleksander Barkov is the heart and soul of the franchise, but in his absence, Tkachuk has become the engine behind the team’s offensive attack. Against the Jets, he collected four assists for his third multi-point performance of the season. In just 13 games, he’s already collected 20 points, which is actually ahead of the pace he set in 2022-23 when he roared to 109 points. Moreover, Tkachuk has been held off the scoresheet just twice this season, in the first game and recently when Florida got shut out in Pittsburgh.
Flaw: Akira Schmid, the trapezoid, and NHL video review
When the Panthers are firing on all cylinders against a struggling opponent, there isn't much to discuss regarding flaws, except for Schmid losing his shutout bid under unusual circumstances. At full speed, the Florida netminder appeared to make the save of the year after mishandling the puck behind his net. That’s where Jets captain Adam Lowry swooped around the cage and tried to score into the empty net, but Schmid robbed him* with the paddle of his stick. Play continued for a long time before the next whistle, when the NHL war room called down to the referees and showed them the replay that Lowry indeed scored, as the puck completely crossed the line. The bizarre sequence ultimately robbed Schmid of his first shutout since Dec. 5, 2025.
Claw: Panthers' power play continues its scorching pace
According to the Panthers’ PR department, since Oct. 12, the team has roared up the NHL statistical charts, with the league’s second-best power play success rate, at 39.4%. Against Winnipeg, Florida scored three power-play goals, its second-best performance of the season behind the four it scored against Columbus. Despite those offensive outbursts, the Panthers have scored a power-play goal in only six of their first 12 games and rank 12th in the NHL with a 23.0% conversion rate. Surprisingly, only five players have scored a power-play goal, with Reinhart leading the way with five, followed by Verhaeghe (four), Brady Tkachuk (three), Matthew Tkachuk (one), and Eetu Luostarinen (one).
What’s next for the Panthers?
Panthers fans might experience a sense of déjà vu when looking at the schedule, as Florida's next game is another matchup against the Jets, this time at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday night. After four road games, the Cats are home for the next three, welcoming the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks next week.
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