Brady Tkachuk finally notched his first point with the Florida Panthers. It took him six games to get there.
Tkachuk is one of the league’s most reliable point producers. And expectations were high when he arrived with the Panthers via trade. But with just one point in six games, it may be reasonable to have a cause for concern.
That said, Panthers coach Paul Maurice isn’t. Following the Panthers’ loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, Maurice spoke about Tkachuk’s production. Via Heather Engel of NHL.com, Maurice said:
“I’ve been fine with his game. He’s netfront in battling all night. The puck went for him. I thought he was close to having that happen five or six times since he’s been here, so I haven’t spent any time worrying about his points.”
While some may start looking at Tkachuk’s lack of production and wonder what it will take to get him going, Maurice has a point. If Tkachuk’s in position to contribute and the puck just isn’t going in, he’s still holding up his end of the bargain.
It May Be Too Early In The Season To Worry About Brady Tkachuk
The 2026-27 season is barely two weeks old, and many players are still working on getting their rhythm back. A lot of them also had fewer reps in the preseason with the reduced number of games. Once most of them shake off the rust and get close to midseason form, then it’s okay to worry about players whose production is still below par.
Tkachuk is also still getting used to a new team and system. The Panthers are once again battling the injury bug early in the season, so that has put a damper on Florida hitting its stride.
That said, it’s not just a Brady Tkachuk issue, but a team issue. And the Panthers have struggled to get anything going offensively through their first six games.
Florida Panthers Have A Lot Of Work To Do Offensively
Heading into Monday afternoon’s game against the Sabres, the Panthers ranked 30th in the NHL with nine goals in five games. That’s 1.8 goals per contest. They scored more than two goals just once before putting three on the Sabres. Florida notched both wins this season by scores of 1-0 and 2-1.
Nobody on the Panthers produced at a point-per-game level prior to Monday’s matchup, and only five players had multiple points. Only 11 had scored a point in any of Florida’s first five matchups.
If and when the Panthers settle in and find their groove, expect Tkachuk’s numbers to improve. He may not be the near point-per-game player he was during his final season with the Ottawa Senators. But on a team like the Panthers, he doesn’t need to be.
If Tkachuk keeps playing a physical game and gets in front of the net, he’s doing his job. Perhaps he will get that first goal on Tuesday evening when the Panthers travel to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets.
Paul Maurice Makes Clear He’s Not Worried About Brady Tkachuk