Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk has played the game with an edge. Going back to his Calgary Flames days, he was one to watch out for as the competition knew what he was capable of. He was the modern-day Sean Avery with 100-point potential.
Never a bad word about his work ethic from teammates, but they praised his skill set. The same could be said for how he has played in the 4 Nations Face-Off for Team U.S.A. However, after the team's big 3-1 win against Canada on Saturday night, did he ruffle some feathers with a teammate?
Is the Panthers' Tkachuk in hot water with a teammate?
U.S.A. against Canada. That's all that needs to be said. Any sport, any event between the two can be filled with emotions. That is how it is. At the beginning of the U.S.A's game against Canada, the festivities started with three fights before people could find their seats.
Matthew Tkachuk against Brandon Hagel. Brady Tkachuk against Sam Bennett. Colton Parayko against J.T. Miller. Aside from Parayko manhandling Miller, the other two may have been a draw. However, Matthew may have done soemthing to provoke controversy in his NHL locker room.
After his brother, Brady, fought Bennett, Matthew was in the penalty box going nuts for his brother and United States teammate. However, Bennett is a teammate of Matthew's with the Florida Panthers.
Did Matthew do the wrong thing by celebrating a fight against his NHL teammate?
Brady is the blood brother and a teammate of Matthew's on the U.S.A team. They will have each other's backs regardless of the situation, that is how it should be. However, Bennett and Matthew play on the same line in Florida and won a Stanley Cup in 2024 and reached the Final in 2023. They have been to war and back. I get it. It's the U.S.A against Canada. Something seems off about this though.
Will this ruffle feathers in the Panthers locker room when the second half of the season gets underway on February 22nd against the Seattle Kraken? Will Bennett refuse to speak to Matthew or seek to play on another line? It may not seem like a big deal but some may see this as disrespectful to his Florida teammate.
Teammates have fought before, leading to one being moved. It may not get this far but it will be interesting to see if Bennett seems bothered by Matthew's reaction or if it is not a big deal. Bennett and Matthew were also teammates on the Flames during Tkachuk's first few NHL seasons.
Whether it becomes a distraction or not, Florida is in a tight race with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. The remaining schedule for both teams is not easy so it will be key to see if either team makes any moves at the trade deadline.