Panthers' Tkachuk Basks in Olympic Glory, Prepares for Maple Leafs Clash
FORT LAUDERDALE - If you were at the Elbo Room on Wednesday, you got a sneak peek of Matthew Tkachuk proudly displaying his Olympic gold medal. By Thursday, it was on full display at the IcePlex, though he kept it tucked away in the locker room.
“I just pulled it out of my pocket,” Tkachuk quipped, gold medal gleaming around his neck as he spoke to the media.
Tonight, the Florida Panthers face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with a special pregame ceremony honoring their Olympians. Tkachuk, GM Bill Zito, and equipment manager Teddy Richards will be celebrated for their roles in Team USA's victory over Canada. Toronto's Auston Matthews, captain of Team USA, will also be acknowledged.
“Last night was the first good sleep, first time getting a lot of hours,” Tkachuk reflected. “Once that puck went in, our lives changed in that moment.”
Despite the intense rivalry, Tkachuk insists there's no bad blood with his Canadian teammates like Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, and Brad Marchand. “I congratulated him on winning gold,” Bennett shared, keeping it light-hearted.
Anton Lundell, who snagged bronze with Finland, joined in the friendly banter during the morning skate. “No bad blood.
Absolutely not,” Tkachuk reiterated. “We’re all competitors and, first and foremost, Panthers players.
The relationships we have in that room are as strong as you’ll find.”
Marchand added, “All of Canada would have liked a different outcome, but medaling at that tournament was an incredible honor.”
With all seven of Florida’s Olympic medalists back on the ice, the focus shifts to the Panthers’ playoff push. Sitting eight points out with 25 games left, every match is crucial.
“We joked about our Olympic experiences,” Bennett said. “But now, it’s back to the grind.”
Tkachuk emphasized, “We have to flip the switch. Both our teams need points.
There are only 25 games left and about a month in the regular season. We need these two points.”
As for facing Matthews tonight? “We joked at E11even that we might have to slash each other in the face and get kicked out,” Tkachuk laughed.
Regarding the perceived slight to the US women’s team, Tkachuk clarified the camaraderie between the teams. “We were so close with the women’s team.
We supported each other and celebrated together. The narrative that we weren’t rooting for each other is untrue.”
The Panthers are ready to channel their Olympic momentum into the NHL season, starting with tonight’s showdown against the Maple Leafs.