Florida Panthers Made Big Additions with Tkachuk on LTIR
The Florida Panthers had to play their final 25 games of the season without Matthew Tkachuk, but, they were able to make the most of it.
With Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve after being hurt at the 4-Nations tournament in February, the Panthers made some key additions at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Although Seth Jones came in before Tkachuk officially went on LTIR, that trade was made with future cap money being available.
Late season acquisitions, sometimes called ‘rentals’ if they are pending free agents, have been a staple of the NHL for years.
They have been invaluable for the Panthers.
Last season, it was Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo who joined the team at the deadline and became vital to the Stanley Cup run, both on and off the ice.
Tarasenko had five playoff goals, none bigger than the game-winner in the clincher against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference final.
This postseason, a trio of late season acquisitions were integral to Florida’s series win over the Lightning.
The fortuitous events which surrounded their acquisition were as important as their play on the ice.
The trade which brought Jones to Florida could not have been timelier.
He was acquired from Chicago on March 1 — and a week later, Aaron Ekblad was suspended for the rest of the regular season.
Jones, who is no rental with five years remaining on his contract, stepped right in as Gus Forsling’s partner on the top pair.
From the time of Ekblad’s departure to the end of the regular season, Jones led all Florida skaters with an average time on-ice per game of a whopping 25:34.
His TOI during the was even higher.
Jones’ game-winning goal in Game 4 may have been the turning point in the series.
Brad Marchand coming to Florida originally sounded like fantasy. He was the player you love to hate (but would love to have on your team).
Bill Zito pulled the trigger on the trade just minutes before the deadline.
Marchand was injured at the time and Zito knew he wouldn’t be ready until closer to the regular season’s end.
In the playoffs, Marchand has been as expected.
Uniting him with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen was a stroke of genius by Paul Maurice.
Marchand’s puck control and passing have been textbook. He set up both Lundell and Luostarinen for goalmouth tap-ins in Game 5.
“You’ve got two guys with speed to play with Brad,’’ Maurice said, “and he can find the holes, and he can make those plays. You’re seeing Brad Marchand’s game as it has been adapted to ours.”
The line combined for three goals and 14 points which took some of the pressure away from the top-6.
Nico Sturm was brought in from San Jose for defensive depth and to take over the fourth line.
Sturm not only won close to 60 percent of his faceoffs during the regular season, but, like Marchand, is an elite penalty killer.
The penalty kill was one of the big reasons Florida knocked out the Lightning: The Panthers killed off 16 of 18 power plays, including a stretch of 15 straight.
Nikita Kucherov, who was Tampa Bay’s top power-play point getter in the regular season, was held to no goals in the five games and only three power play shots on goal in close to 30 minutes of power play time.
The Panthers now have a few days of well-earned rest before playing Toronto in the next round.
2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: GAME 1
FLORIDA PANTHERS @ TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Best-of-7 Series
- When: TBA
- Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
- National TV/Streaming: TBA
- Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- Series Schedule — Game 1: @Toronto TBA; Game 2: @Toronto TBA; Game 3: @Florida TBA; Game 4: @Florida TBA; Game 5*:@Toronto TBA; Game 6*: @Florida TBA; Game 7*: @Toronto TBA.
- How They Got Here: Toronto d. Ottawa 4-2; Florida d. Tampa Bay 4-1
- This Season (Panthers Won 3-1) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Leafs 1 (Nov.27); Panthers 3, Leafs 1 (Ap. 8). At Toronto: Panthers 3, Maple Leafs 2 (March 14); Maple Leafs 3, Panthers 2 (April 2).
- Last Regular Season: Tied 2-2
- All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 51-40-7, 7 ties
- All-time Postseason: Panthers d. Maple Leafs 4-1 (2023 ECS)