By the Numbers: Red-hot Tkachuk leading Panthers’ playoff push

Matthew Tkachuk is on a tear as he tries to push the Florida Panthers back into the playoff picture. 

Tkachuk has 10 goals and 28 points in 16 games since the calendar turned to 2023, a stretch that has seen the team go 9-5-2 to close within three points of a playoff spot entering Thursday's matchup with the San Jose Sharks.

The 25-year-old winger is coming off his best performance of the year, scoring two goals and posting five points in a 7-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning Monday, just two days after he led the Atlantic Division to victory and was named MVP at the All-Star Game. 

Acquired from the Calgary Flames in the off-season in a blockbuster deal that saw Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar head the other way, Tkachuk has lived up to all expectations in the sunshine state.

In 50 games, the winger has 27 goals and 44 assists. His 71 points are 24 more than Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov, who are tied for second on the team with 47.

While Connor McDavid remains a heavy favourite for the Hart Trophy at -700 at FanDuel, Tkachuk (+10,000) could be putting together a campaign similar to Taylor Hall in 2018. Hall won the Hart that year after posting 41 more points than his next-closest teammate. 

Coming off a career year in Calgary last season, Tkachuk signed an eight-year, $76 million contract with the Panthers in July. 

Carrying a cap hit of $9.5 million this season, he's on pace to tie his goal total from last season at 42 and post 110 points - six more than his previous best. 
 

Panthers Playoff Chase

With a 6-2-2 record in their last 10 games, the Panthers are surging back towards the playoff picture after a slow start to the year. 

Florida is three points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with three more games played. The Panthers are four points back of the Washington Capitals, who have the top wild-card spot with both teams at 53 games played.

The Panthers are, however, tied with the Buffalo Sabres and three points back of the New York Islanders, who have played a league-high 54 games, in the crowded playoff race.
 

Reviewing the Tkachuk Trade

The Panthers paid a king's ransom for Tkachuk, sending prospect Cole Schwindt and a conditional first-round pick in 2025 to the Flames along with Huberdeau and Weegar. Florida also received a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025 back in the trade.

Six months later, both the Panthers and Flames sit outside the playoff picture in their respective conferences after both opening the year with lofty expectations.

Tkachuk is the only NHL player moved in the deal producing at the same level this year as he did a year ago. 
 

Huberdeau is on pace to see the steepest drop off in production, with just 10 goals and 33 points so far this season after posting 30 goals and 115 points a year ago.