Matthew Tkachuk and his brother Brady are celebrating their father Keith's Hall of Fame induction, and the Panthers forwards call it legacy.
The timing is a little unusual. Sunday in Boston ended in a 4-1 Bruins win, and both brothers walked away with 10-minute misconducts.
So the conversation around the Tkachuk name has been loud for a few days, and not always for hockey reasons. Keith recently broke his silence on Brady's Ottawa return, which kept the family in the headlines even before the weekend.
Hall of Fame day changes the tone. "That's legacy" is how the brothers framed their father's induction, a short line from two players who rarely run short of words on the ice.
Matthew's night in Boston ended early, as Matthew Tkachuk's trip down the tunnel showed when the referees sent him off with 8:08 left in the third period. He still finished with an assist and 5 shots on goal.
Jameson Olive asked fans on Hall of Fame day which current Panthers could be enshrined one day.
The Panthers lean on both brothers right now. Matthew leads the team with 26 points (4 goals, 22 assists) in 18 games, and Brady has 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists.
That production hasn't turned into wins lately. Florida sits 9-7-2, 5th in the Atlantic Division, and has lost two straight.
Which current Panthers could follow Keith into the Hall?
Matthew is the obvious first name. He has 696 career points in 691 games, plus 84 playoff points in 94 postseason games, and that kind of per-game output is what builds a Hall of Fame case.
Brady is the more interesting long-term question. He brings the same edge, the same willingness to take a misconduct for a teammate, and his 10 goals this season show the scoring is there.
But a Hall of Fame résumé takes a decade of nights like the good ones, not the Sunday in Boston kind. The brothers have the family blueprint, and the next chance to add to it comes Tuesday when the Panthers visit Columbus.
Quick hits
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNINGJon Cooper says Brayden Point "might miss some time" after leaving Sunday's game in Winnipeg and not returning. Losing your top center is never good news for a team.
NEW JERSEY DEVILSConnor Hrabchak is hinting the Devils could recall goalie David Rittich with Anthony Mantha hurt. The Connor Hellebuyck saga has a new wrinkle too.
OTTAWA SENATORSBruce Garrioch just reported that Linus Ullmark is ready to return to the Senators' net. It has been a long wait for Ottawa fans.
WINNIPEG JETSConnor Hellebuyck won't play in Winnipeg on Tuesday, but he will face the Jets' hometown media and says he'll explain why he wanted out. That press conference should be must-see.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINSDan Kingerski posted this morning that Kris Letang was brutally honest after the Penguins' 5-2 loss in Anaheim. Those are the comments a locker room hears loud and clear.
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