FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Brady Tkachuk was eager to make a good first impression.
Despite entering his ninth season in the NHL, the veteran forward still admittedly had a bit of the first-day jitters leading up to the opening of training camp with the Florida Panthers.
"I was definitely really nervous, I'm not going to lie to you,” Tkachuk said after Thursday’s first practice at Baptist Health IcePlex. “A lot of nervous energy. It's a short camp, so every moment means so much. I thought it was a great first day. Everyone pushed themselves."
For Tkachuk, the first day of camp did not disappoint.
Even though he was ready for it, the notoriously intense practice still hit hard.
“It lived up to the expectations,” Tkachuk said. “All the boys were saying how hard it was, and it definitely was really hard. But, like I said, it's going to help us in the long run.”
It’s that “long run” that has him most excited.
After watching his brother, Matthew, help lead the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, Tkachuk is eager to help the organization return to the promised land.
Despite being limited to 60 games last season, Tkachuk, who was acquired by the Panthers in a blockbuster trade with the Ottawa Senators in June, still managed to put up 59 points.
Since making his NHL debut in 2018, the former fourth-overall pick also led the Senators, who he previously captained, in goals (213), assists (463), points (463) and hits (1,921).
Now in South Florida, he plans to make a similar impact.
“The standard is excellence,” Tkachuk said of the Panthers. “It’s going to be the consistency of how we play. It’s a big message that from Game 1 of the preseason all the way to the end of the year that we’re not going to feel our way into it. We’re going to get to our identity, get to our standard, right away.”
Feeling like he's already been here for a long time, Tkachuk has quickly turned "they" and "their" to "us" and "our" since becoming a Panther.
FIRST LINES
There’s no time to waste!
With a shortened training camp and just four preseason games on the docket before the points start to count, the Panthers put their best foot forward on the opening day of camp.
Over the course of the two on-ice sessions, some early lines started to take shape.
Put in a position to succeed right out of the gate on a potential new-look top line, Brady Tkachuk was paired with the dynamic duo of Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov.
In addition to being elite offensive players, Barkov is a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward, while Reinhart was a runner-up to Barkov in 2025.
“They're two of the top players in this league,” Tkachuk said. “I’m just going to be fortunate to be in that position. I think I can learn a lot from those two guys, their skill sets.”
A familiar trio, Matthew Tkachuk lined up with Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe on the projected second line.
Over the past three seasons, that line has spent 880:01 of ice time together at 5-on-5.
With Brad Marchand set to miss October while rehabbing from offseason surgery, rookie Sandis Vilmanis got the first look in the veteran's usual spot next to Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen on the third line.
Making his NHL debut last season, Vilmanis had three goals and two assists in 19 games with the Panthers.
At the World Championship in May, he built on that experience and tallied 11 points (4G, 7A) in seven games for Latvia.
“His ability to get a puck stopped in the offensive zone,” head coach Paul Maurice said of the young forward’s skillset. “His stick is just so good. He's a big, strong man. We also saw him have some range with the puck. He can pull it across his body and he can make plays.”
While nothing set in stone, it wouldn’t be surprising to see these three lines stick to start.
"If we had to drop the puck tonight, those would be the three lines we'd start with,” Maurice said.
With only four games to fine-tune their game, the Panthers will kick off their preseason with a matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
For tickets, click HERE.
QUICK QUOTES
“It’s not guys talking about how hard they want to work. It’s seeing guys firsthand going, ‘Hey, I’m going to get an extra rep.’ You see them at the end [of practice], and they’re still on the ice.” – Garnet Hathaway on his first day of camp with the Panthers
"Mentally, physically, I think this is as fresh as I've felt in a long time." – Sam Bennett on making the most out of a long offseason
“Clearly it's been a long-term issue for us, and it hasn't resolved. We're still looking at different options and searching for some answers." – Paul Maurice on Jonah Gadjovich being out indefinitely with an injury
“I'm just super excited. It's a privilege and it's an honor to be back here. Just go into that excitement, go into that privilege. I mean, you understand what the expectation is.” – Jacob Markstrom on being back with the Panthers
