Brady Tkachuk's return night in Ottawa is still echoing around the league as the Panthers head to Columbus tonight.
Florida (9-7-2) sits 16th in the NHL and is on a two-game losing streak after the 1-4 loss in Boston on Sunday. The Blue Jackets are 28th, but a team that has dropped two in a row doesn't get to look past anybody.
Tkachuk brings 20 points in 18 games into the night, 10 goals and 10 assists. He also has 44 penalty minutes, which fits a player who dropped the gloves with Nikita Zadorov off the opening draw in Boston and never really stopped playing on the edge.
Ottawa has turned that edge into a spectacle. Greg Wyshynski wrote that he's surprised it took this long for an NHL team to protect its guy from a "Brady Tkachuk Night in Ottawa" level of venom, mockery and bile when a player returns to a former city.
Drake Batherson, who was in the building, said "It was pretty well the same as a playoff game!" He added that NHL players around the league were texting him about the atmosphere in Ottawa against Florida.
SunGarrioch put it bluntly in a post today: take a bow, Senators fans, because Tkachuk, Connor Hellebuyck and the New Jersey Devils all heard you.
Why Hellebuyck's Winnipeg return adds a twist tonight
Hellebuyck is the other name in that post, and his own return is tonight in Winnipeg. The Devils are reportedly sitting him, with James Nichols reporting that Jake Allen is expected to start against the Jets.
New Jersey, 13-5-0 and winners of five straight, doesn't need Hellebuyck in the crease to make the night loud for him. A goalie who stays on the bench still hears every boo.
That's the part of Wyshynski's point that sticks. Teams spend years insulating players from fans and media, yet nobody can shield a player from a building that has waited for him. Panthers fans should hope Tkachuk keeps feeding off it, because shielding him wouldn't have helped anyone.
Ottawa has set the bar. Columbus is next on Florida's schedule tonight, and Paul Maurice will want his team to bring that kind of edge on the road.
Quick hits
SUSPENSIONWord just came that Tom Wilson will not be suspended for his boarding hit on Sandis Vilmanis, and the Panthers beat has a clear opinion on it. Expect that debate to run for a while.
FLYERSA day after the Flyers won in Vancouver, the bench clash between Matvei Michkov and Nick Seeler is still dividing Philadelphia beat writers this morning.
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Lineup Change: Jack Devine enters Panthers lineupBIG INJURY NEWS FROM PANTHERS CAMPPaul Maurice says the Panthers are within two weeks of getting Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand back, per Mark Scheig.
Injury Update: Paul Maurice on Barkov and MarchandTHE PANTHERS SHAKE UP THEIR LINESBrady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk skated with Sam Bennett in the middle at the Florida Panthers' morning skate in Columbus.
Lineup Change: Tkachuks reunite with Bennett in ColumbusCOLUMBUS HAS MADE ITS GOALIE CALLRick Bowness just confirmed that Cam Talbot will start in net for the Blue Jackets tonight against the Panthers, per beat reporter Doug Plagens.
Rick Bowness sets Blue Jackets goalie for Panthers gameA GOALIE CLUE IN COLUMBUS THIS MORNINGBrian Hedger just reported that Cameron Talbot looks set to start for the Blue Jackets tonight against the Florida Panthers.
Blue Jackets tip their hand before the Panthers visitANOTHER RULING PANTHERS FANS WON'T LIKEFlaHockeyNow just reported that Tom Wilson will not be suspended for his boarding hit on Sandis Vilmanis, and the Panthers beat has a clear opinion on it.
Tom Wilson avoids suspension for the Vilmanis hitA HALL OF FAME SHOUTOUT FOR A PANTHERPatrice Bergeron just thanked Brad Marchand, now a Panther, from the Hockey Hall of Fame stage tonight.
Patrice Bergeron has a message for Brad MarchandLUNDELL SHOWS A DIFFERENT SIDEKatie Engleson just raved about Anton Lundell's four-minute segment, and the Panthers center apparently stole the show.
Anton Lundell steals the show before Panthers' Columbus trip