MIAMI — Matthew Tkachuk has been the definition of clutch during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and especially during an Eastern Conference Final sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tkachuk scored four goals and added an assist over the four game series. Three of those goals were game winners, and the helper was a primary assist on the lone goal scored in Game 3.
His final goal of the series came with seconds remaining in Game 4, and stood as the winner following a review for potential goalie interference.
He scored earlier in Game 4, and his two previous goals in the series were overtime markers.
Adding Tkachuk last summer was a bold move that certainly paid off earlier than expected, says Locked on Panthers host Armando Velez.
"(Panthers General manager) Bill Zito made the boldest move of trading a franchise player in Jonathan Huberdeau (who had 115 points) to the Calgary Flames for a guy who is five years younger," he said.
"They decided to make that trade, but they had a whole bunch of dead cap on their roster this year and this was considered a gap year. They made a coaching change, they barely squeaked into the playoffs, and then all it takes is a team and a goalie getting hot."
Sergei Bobrovsky likely remains the frontrunner for playoff MVP at this point, but Tkachuk's contributions have been massive, and he made sure to celebrate the achievement by bucking tradition and lifting the Prince of Wales Trophy.
"The last thing that we're going to do is be is superstitious about not touching it," Tkachuk said, per Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. "Like, nobody said we were even going to make the playoffs. I think it's pretty cool to touch it, carry it around and take pictures with it. We earned that thing.
"[We] definitely didn't do it the easy way. We earned it. I feel like if you're blocking shots, taking hits, doing whatever it takes to win a trophy like that, you might as well enjoy it."
There's still another, bigger trophy to compete for, but this is a huge moment for the Panthers, and Tkachuk is right at the center of it.