CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Aleksander Barkov prepared a low bar for Matthew Tkachuk.

A minimum of, earlier than they turned into Florida Panthers teammates.

“When I used to play against him when he was in Calgary, I would have never thought that I’m going to like the guy,” Barkov informed ESPN this time. “He was just, like, a pain in the ass. He was always in your face. Obviously, he’s an unbelievable player but everything that came with him, all the scrums, I just never thought I’d like the guy so much. And then we met here [in Florida] and boom — he’s definitely one of the best guys to be around.”

Believe this the presen of Tkachuk 2.0. The 25-year-old nonetheless has his tough edges, his sandpaper qualities, his uncanny talent to disturb and disrupt near to any individual he chooses between — and on occasion nearest — the whistles. However that’s no longer all Tkachuk is, or ever was once. It simply took transferring 3,000 miles from Calgary to Florida for some to tug understand of what actually makes Tkachuk tick.

And it’s no longer some on-ice schtick.

“I was surprised with his personality last year,” Panthers educator Paul Maurice mentioned. “He was in Calgary [before]; I was [coaching] in Winnipeg. We didn’t like each other very much. I thought there’s a chance that the guy on the ice was the guy off the ice and it’s not. As talented as he is, it’s actually kind of his humility, the way he treats the people around him, the way he treats his teammates; he’s a good human. He’s consistent with that daily. He had a big year and got a lot of press coverage. He hasn’t changed one bit, right? He’s a big part of our culture here.”

Over the span of 1 season in South Florida, Tkachuk proved he’s no longer simply a pest. The St. Louis local is an simple cornerstone of the Panthers’ evolution, a linchpin bringing in combination the membership’s date with its provide — and its more and more hopeful presen.

It was once Tkachuk, nearest all, who garnered enough credit score for spearheading Florida’s surprising run to the Stanley Cup Ultimate extreme spring. He make a career-best season, was once named a finalist for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and rightly earned acknowledgement as a possible Conn Smythe candidate.

Stack all of it up and that’s a breakout season in its personal proper — even for a now-eight-year professional comparable to Tkachuk. That you must almost anoint him because the face of Florida’s entire franchise.

Point out that chance to Tkachuk, regardless that, and also you’ll get a deep wince. A sigh. And a staunch rebuttal laced with unexpected shyness from a participant typecast by way of inherent bravado.

“I am not the face,” Tkachuk insists. “We’ve got Barky. He’s the guy and will always be the guy. I really just try to fly under the radar and work as hard as I can. I’m surrounded by more talent than people could ever imagine here. So, I’m very lucky. There’s a lot of players in the hockey world that get a lot more recognition and deserve it. I’m cool with just trying to work as hard as I possibly can.”

Tkachuk is pleasantly earnest. He’s no longer seeking to court docket consideration. If the rest, there’s relief in being inconspicuous. There’s an freedom Florida offer which Calgary, possibly, simply couldn’t. Tkachuk driven his manner out of the Flames’ group for a reason why. He has spent the 12 months since illustrating why it was once the most efficient resolution for him — as a participant and individual — to snatch retain of a pristine get started.

He needs to be a pacesetter now.

“I’ve got a big personality, so I’m probably talking more than the average player in hockey,” Tkachuk mentioned. “I play a certain style and … it can help make us successful. I’d say my best qualities [are about] wanting to be consistent day in and day out. I have a routine that I love. So, whether it’s Day 1 of the season or the dog days or playoffs, it all stays the same. I just try to be consistent in everything I do. And I think that’s a good leadership trait.”

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THE STORY OF Tkachuk’s exodus to Florida is important.

It was once July 2022 when Tkachuk — a limited detached agent already in arbitration with Calgary over a brandnew promise — knowledgeable the Flames he wasn’t fascinated with signing a long-term offer. That wasn’t welcome information to Calgary, who had drafted Tkachuk 6th general in 2016 — however then-GM Brad Treliving made probably the most of an useless status. He briefly orchestrated a sign-and-trade with the Panthers that despatched Tkachuk — nearest inking an eight-year, $76 million pact — and a conditional fourth-round select in 2025 to Florida in alternate for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt and a lottery-protected first-round draft select in 2025.

The blockbuster transaction made sense given Tkachuk’s 2021-22 season was once the most efficient of his profession, generating 42 objectives and 104 issues in 82 video games.

He was once even higher in Panthers pink and gold — no longer simply statistically, however around the board.

Tkachuk introduced the 2022-23 season with 5 objectives and 13 issues in his first 9 video games. He carried that momentum the entire option to an NHL All-Superstar variety — the second one of his profession — and was once named MVP of the All-Superstar Sport itself nearest scoring 4 objectives and 7 issues in entrance of the fatherland community.

By way of that time in early February, it looked like Tkachuk couldn’t get a lot better. Even to himself.

“I would say last year during the stretch towards the middle of the season, I felt I took a little bit of a step from the season before,” he mentioned. “And even from the first half of the year. If I’m honest, numbers mean absolutely nothing to me; I don’t judge my success by that. Like, I’ve played some of my best games and there’s been nothing to show for it. I think I can tell I’m playing my best when from the first shift to the last shift, I’m doing something each and every shift. It could be anything. But it’s about making an impact from the first shift to last shift, and then I’m really happy and I feel there was a big stretch last year I did that.”

Tkachuk was once flight elevated at that level, however the Panthers as an entire left one thing to be desired. Florida held a middling 24-22-6 report on the All-Superstar fracture, hanging them 5th within the Atlantic Category and 5 issues out of an Japanese Convention wild-card playoff spot.

That was once a tricky tablet to swallow for Florida given they had been reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners at the heels of a historical 122-point steady season. They had been liable to no longer making the postseason in any respect.

Tkachuk was once a catalyst in turning the crew’s fortunes round.

Florida recharged and went all-out, getting aid alongside the way in which from golf equipment that stumbled (ahem, Pittsburgh) to reserve the general wild-card spot by way of a unmarried level.

Tkachuk had 12 issues within the Panthers’ ultimate seven video games to complete the steady season with 40 objectives and 109 issues (a brandnew profession elevated) over 79 video games.

And he didn’t forbid rolling from there.

He gathered 5 objectives and 11 issues in Florida’s surprising first-round sequence win over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins, was once a conscientious contributor of their second-round victory over Toronto and tallied 4 objectives in 4 video games during the Panthers’ sweep of Carolina within the Japanese Convention finals.

Florida was once certain for a Stanley Cup Ultimate with Tkachuk chief the way in which.

Next, crisis struck.

Florida was once already trailing Vegas 2-0 within the Ultimate when Tkachuk fractured his sternum off an open-ice clash from Blonde Knights ahead Keegan Kolesar in Sport 3. Tkachuk battled to complete, and next dressed for Sport 4. However Tkachuk knew he “wasn’t himself” and in the end sat out Sport 5.

The Panthers misplaced 9-3 that evening with out him. Vegas hoisted the Cup in entrance of them. All Tkachuk may just do was once guard his personal dream of doing simply that abatement away. It took day for that frustration to totally disappear; now he can mirror on it as a teachable hour.

“I feel a sense of pride with knowing what we know from experience last year and what we gained from that,” Tkachuk mentioned. “I think there’s not a lot of people that are really giving us as fair of a chance [this year] as we think we have in this room. But that’s okay. We don’t care what anybody says. We are confident in what we have. We have a great locker room. Last year, we were written off the whole year. Part of that could be that Florida is just an underrated market. And it doesn’t matter. We’re really happy with us.”

Tkachuk respects and recognizes the liberty avid gamers have in Florida to easily be themselves — on or off the ice. It wasn’t at all times the case in Calgary.

“I know it’s going to sound ridiculous,” he began, “But like over there, it was kind of like, Darryl [Sutter] was our coach and we played that type of style, where it was hard-nosed and hitting players and being bullies and we were one of the toughest teams and biggest teams. Here, we’re not one of the biggest teams or the toughest team, but the way we work and the skill and the competitiveness, it’s just as much as it was over there.”

The Panthers have old self-government introduced by way of Maurice and his group of workers to determine their very own issues — and discover a workable answer in combination.

“I saw it last year definitely down the stretch,” mentioned Tkachuk. “When our backs were against the wall, you really could see what the true character was of the team and the true determination. Everyone says we got hot at the right time. Well, it’s more than that. Like, you have to have the pillars in place to have success, and I felt like we built that over the course of the year and we’re continuing to piggyback on that.”

That’s the place Tkachuk’s tale loops again into Barkov’s, and tradition, and the way an not likely extraordinary couple are atmosphere a pitch for the Panthers to are living by way of.

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TKACHUK WON’T WILLINGLY tug a again seat to any individual.

Aside from Barkov.

“I try to try to follow him in each of the [practice] drills to try to learn from him, because no one works harder on or off ice,” mentioned Tkachuk. “He’s a great guy for me to learn [from]. He’s unbelievable, really. Barkov is one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever played with, and our relationship is as good as it can get. We push each other.”

It’s famous to Tkachuk that he and Barkov — decided on moment general by way of Florida in 2013 and crew captain since 2018 — appear to be precise opposites (Barkov is soft-spoken the place Tkachuk is extra high-spirited). That brings a understanding grin to line Tkachuk’s cheeks.

“We definitely have different personalities,” he laughs. “But it meshes together perfectly. He is such a great leader and I definitely try to drive the culture by [emulating] those types of leaders. And I’m just so super thankful that I have somebody like that I can look up to. It really is natural and easy when you have a guy like Barky who just does everything the right way.”

Barkov knew Tkachuk could be a presence, however the degree of certain affect he would have so quickly was once much less expected.

“He came in and right away, he’s just like a main part of the team and just everyone sees how he acts,” mentioned Barkov. “The things he does for the trainers, for the staff, for the players here in the room. Right away from the beginning, that was very impressive to see, and to have him here and to do what he does is just amazing.”

Maurice’s tug is that it’s Tkachuk and Barkov who’re examples to everybody else in Florida’s dressing room. It’s an admittedly eclectic playground as it’s, but come what may, the ones two are bridging the gaps.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of unique guys, unusual personalities,” mentioned Maurice. “There’s a good story in every stall: funny, quirky, and some tough men in there too. All of them are good stories, and [Tkachuk] is one of them. He’s an elite athlete with an incredible set of hands and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but it’s like he has no ego. But he does, right, because he’s driven; he wants the puck in the big times. You can feel it, you can see it. But in terms of relating to his teammates, he’s one of 13 forwards, one of 23 guys. There’s nobody else exalting themselves in that room. And [Tkachuk] and [Barkov] are just like anyone else.”

Tkachuk’s purpose is to personify the Panthers’ values, by way of the groundwork began by way of Barkov and with a mantle Tkachuk is worked up to suppose.

“The two of us try to drive that [messaging],” mentioned Tkachuk. “It’s good for new people to come in to see how things run here and how you have to do it on and off the ice; otherwise, you’re really probably not going to fit in if you don’t do it that way. So, I think the culture here is really something special. And it’s a really fun and easy locker room to come into, with bright people and great people, and if you treat people right and work as hard as you can on the ice, it’ll be perfect for you.”

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THE IDEAL PLAYER-COACH dating won’t exist.

However Tkachuk and Maurice come related.

The veteran bench boss is aware of how — and when — to push Tkachuk’s buttons, with out nudging him too a ways. It’s why Tkachuk considers Maurice one of the most ultimate coaches, if no longer the most efficient, he has ever had.

“He’s harder on me than any other one has been but in a good way,” mentioned Tkachuk. “He’s given me the freedom to do some things that might be a little bit different, that maybe fit my skill set a bit, but he gives me the confidence to go out there and play the exact way I know how. The expectation is just for me to lead and play the right way and be competitive and play hard each and every night. So, I think he’s been amazing for me and really has turned me into a way better player than I was before and helping me and changing my game a bit.”

The ones changes should proceed this season, specifically at the defensive facet. Age Tkachuk was once in a position to rehab from his shock and go back in day for coaching camp, Florida received’t have both Aaron Ekblad or Brandon Montour to be had to begin the 12 months following their respective offseason shoulder surgical procedures. Tkachuk is ready to do his section filling the void of their absences.

“We have to; we have no choice,” he mentioned. “We’re missing two real key guys back there. It’s going to have to be a by-committee thing. I’m sure everybody says that, but I like how we have a lot of guys that are hungry and want to prove something and want to make a difference. That’s true on my end too, the forwards are going to have to help out, too. We have a pretty good grasp on what works for our team and what works in the NHL, and it took us a little while to get [to that point] last year. We’re hoping to start getting there sooner this time.”

In the event that they do, it’s most probably Tkachuk might be at the leading edge of the crew’s luck. The components he started operating with extreme season ended in award accolades Tkachuk hadn’t garnered earlier than, together with the Hart Trophy nomination.

Tkachuk demurs, in conventional type, from reveling in that fulfillment. It isn’t what he’s nearest. Tkachuk were given a style of the actual finish recreation extreme spring, when Florida was once 3 wins clear of a Cup.

The Panthers may just get there once more. The end result may well be other. Tkachuk would aid produce it so. Florida’s a tight-knit crew, and there’s a palpable trust within the workforce already that they’re being underestimated. Tkachuk is aware of as a lot. And if he received’t settle for being the group’s face, next Tkachuk is unquestionably its heartbeat.

That’s greater than just right enough quantity for now.