The Florida Panthers Olympic presence proves their depth, but the concerns are real

For fans of Team USA and the Florida Panthers, these Olympics are emotional whiplash.
You want to see Matthew Tkachuk drape himself in the stars and stripes and bully his way to a gold medal in Milan.

You want him to be the heartbeat of the American squad.

But then you check the NHL standings, and the cold sweats start.

The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are sitting on 61 points. They are clinging to life, staring up at Buffalo (70 points) and Boston (69 points).

The gap is starting to look like the Grand Canyon.

And yet, the team's most vital organs are in Italy, playing in a meat grinder.

It isn't just Tkachuk. Gustav Forsling anchored Sweden’s blue line in a smooth 5-2 win over Italy.

The Finnish crew: Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, and Niko Mikkola took a 4-1 chin music loss to Slovakia. You know Lundell is stewing on that.

But Thursday? That is when the blood pressure spikes.

Canada faces Czechia at 10:40 AM. Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart are suiting up for the maple leaf.

Bennett got the late call-up to replace Anthony Cirelli, which means he is now taking orders from Lightning coach Jon Cooper. That is just weird for any Florida fan to digest.

Bennett plays with a reckless abandon that makes insurance adjusters nervous. He doesn't know how to play safe.

Then comes the main event at 3:10 PM. Team USA vs. Latvia.

That means Tkachuk goes head-to-head with his own teammates, Uvis Balinskis and prospect Sandis Vilmanis. Mate vs. Mate. Tkachuk doesn’t have an "exhibition" setting.

He will crash the net and drag the US into the fight, even if it means running over Balinskis to do it.

Every time Tkachuk hits the ice, fans in Sunrise are going to wince. A gold medal would be legendary, but a healthy roster is non-negotiable.

If he tweaks something in Milan, the season is toast. The rest of the league is already praying for a Panthers collapse.

This is the tax you pay for a dynasty. Enjoy the show, but keep the prayer candles lit for the medical staff.