The Florida Panthers have had no shortage of brother acts over the years, but the newest one coming into view could end up changing the conversation entirely.
For now, the standard is still the Bures. Pavel and Valeri Bure put together the strongest brother résumé in Panthers history, combining for 355 games, 185 goals and 155 assists.
That added up to 340 points over seven seasons together, along with a minus-2 rating, 176 penalty minutes and 114 points on the power play. Pavel remains a franchise legend, and Valeri gave the team several useful seasons of his own.
The Panthers have also had other brother pairs chip in along the way. Eric and Marc Staal played 154 games for Florida and produced 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points, finishing at plus-5 with 69 penalty minutes.
Adam and Jesper Boqvist logged 169 games as Panthers, scoring 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points, while finishing minus-19 and collecting 36 penalty minutes. Matt and Mark Cullen appeared in 92 combined games and totaled 12 goals, 20 assists and 32 points, with a minus-4 rating and 48 penalty minutes.
Brad and Jeff Norton also had their turn in South Florida, playing 73 games together and posting 13 assists, 13 points, a minus-14 and 73 penalty minutes.
Now comes the matchup that has the biggest upside of all: Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.
Matthew has already spent a few seasons in Florida, but the 2026-27 season will bring something new, with Brady joining him in the NHL for the first time. The two have shared the ice before with Team USA, and they’ve been effective when they do.
At the 4 Nations Face-Off, they played seven games together and combined for five goals and one assist, finishing with six points, 10 penalty minutes and a plus-3. At the Olympics, they were even more productive across 12 games, putting up three goals and eight assists for 11 points while logging 24 penalty minutes and finishing at plus-12.
Individually, both Tkachuks already have proven NHL track records. Matthew has had success in Calgary and Florida, while Brady has been a high-end scorer in Ottawa.
The big question now is how much they’ll actually share the ice in Panthers colors, and what that looks like when they do. Even if they’re not attached at the hip, their ability to create problems from different spots on the ice gives Florida another wrinkle opponents have to sort out.
The Panthers have had several brother combinations come through the organization, but this one has the clearest chance to rise above the rest. If Matthew and Brady Tkachuk can bring the kind of team success people expect, they may end up taking the top spot from the Bures.
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Jacob Markstrom Just Changed The Feel Around These Panthers
Jacob Markstroms return to Florida came with a familiar kind of composure, the sort the Panthers have valued before and seem eager to lean on again. In his first start for the club in almost 13 years, the veteran goalie looked settled from the opening puck drop in a season-opening win over Carolina, and both coach Paul Maurice and defenseman Gus Forsling came away impressed with how steady he was in net.
For a team trying to defend every inch after bringing Markstrom back in a trade with the New Jersey Devils, the timing mattered as much as the performance. He was calm, he was effective, and he gave Florida the kind of foundation that can change the mood around a locker room quickly, especially when a former Panthers draft pick has come full circle to help them start the year on the right note. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fourth Line Just Gave Paul Maurice Something He Needs
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The lines presence mattered because it gave Florida another reliable option in a matchup that featured plenty of grinding hockey and very little room to breathe. Eller, Hathaway and Imama helped set a tone in the middle of the game, and for a Panthers team built on structure, that kind of debut is the sort of early-season sign a coach can use right away, even if the bigger question still lingers about how much more this trio can offer as the schedule gets harder. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Opened The Season With A Statement Win Fans Will Love
The Panthers wasted no time reminding everyone what kind of team they are. In a season opener defined by structure and patience, Florida came away with a 1-0 overtime win over Carolina, leaning on a sharp defensive effort and steady goaltending from Jacob Markstrom while Brandon Bussi kept the Hurricanes in it with save after save at the other end.
Florida still found a way to finish, and that is the part Panthers fans will like most. Gustav Forsling delivered the only goal in the extra period as the game tilted into one final chance, giving the reigning standard-bearer in the East an opening-night result that looked every bit like a team comfortable winning tight games. The Panthers now head to San Jose for their next test, while Carolina turns its attention to a home date with Washington. [Read more 🡒]