SUNRISE, Fla. – Talk about a first impression.
Suiting up for the first time as a Florida Panther, Brady Tkachuk, who was acquired in an offseason blockbuster with the Ottawa Senators, recorded three points (2G, 1A) and fight in a 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday.
Helping the Panthers start the preseason 1-0-0, the night couldn’t have gone better.
“I think it was a continuation of his first three days,” head coach Paul Maurice said of Tkachuk’s debut. “He put in some tremendous work this summer into his fitness level so he can drive at a high pace. I was most pleased with that.”
Breaking the ice in the first period, the Hurricanes did some early damage when Dominik Badinka forced a turnover and scored off Jacob Markstrom’s back to make it 1-0 at 6:04.
On the power play later in the period, Brady Tkachuk evened the score when he beat Pyotr Kochetkov with a snipe from the slot to make it 1-1 at 12:02.
Setting him up? None other than his older brother, Matthew Tkachuk.
“It was a great play by him,” Brady said. “He’s got one of the best hockey IQ’s.”
Putting the Panthers on top in the second period, captain Aleksander Barkov took a slick backhand dish from Brady Tkachuk and scored on a breakaway to make it 2-1 at 2:30.
Missing all of last season with a knee injury, Barkov hadn’t played a game in Sunrise since hoisting the Stanley Cup after winning Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 18, 2025.
“It was great,” said Barkov, who saw 15:17 of ice time in the win. “Before the first shift, you don’t really know what to expect, but after that it was nice. The team played well. We did a lot of good things, and it was just to be part of.”
Finding space in the high slot, Cole Reinhardt collected a feed from rookie Jack Devine and went top-shelf on Kochetkov to extend Florida’s need to 3-1 at 4:06. Dating back to the end of the 2025-26 regular season, Reinhardt has now scored in five straight games he’s played in.
“Good surroundings, good people,” Reinhardt said of his scoring spree as a Panther.
Earning an extended 5-on-3 power play, the Hurricanes cut their deficit to 3-2 when Justin Robidas buried a one-timer from just inside the right circle at 9:34. Later, with play at 4-on-4, Bradly Nadeau scored from in front of the net to wipe the slate clean and make it 3-3 10:45.
Touching twine a second time, a Reinhardt tip put the Panthers back on top 4-3 at 12:10.
“He’s a great player,” Brady Tkachuk said of Reinhardt, who he played with previously in Ottawa. “He scored an amazing goal, a great shot, and then he’s net front with a tip.”
Just before the second intermission, Niko Mikkola found a seam in traffic and threaded a shot into the back of Carolina’s cage to make it 5-3 at 19:07.
Mikkola led Florida’s defensemen with three points (1G, 2A) against Carolina.
“He’s going to ride that for a day and a half,” Maurice smiled.
Showing off the physical side of his game, Brady Tkachuk, with a goal and an assist already to his credit, completed his Gordie Howe hat trick in the third period when he dropped the gloves after Carolina defenseman Mike Reily shoved Barkov head-first into the boards.
"You just know he's one of those guys that has your back in any moment,” Barkov said. “We have each other's backs here. It's a great feeling."
Putting a bow on his debut, Brady Tkachuk cashed in on an empty net to make it 6-3 at 17:45.
THEY SAID IT
"He's just always in the right position. Whenever you need an out, he's always there. He’s just always in the right spot.” – Brady Tkachuk on playing with Aleksander Barkov
“He can shoot the puck, and he showed that last year. He played a really, really smart game today.” – Paul Maurice on Cole Reinhardt
“I just feel like he’s only going to get better.” – Aleksander Barkov on Brady Tkachuk’s debut with the Panthers
CATS STATS
- The Panthers won 59.1% of their faceoffs.
- The Panthers led 19-8 in shots on goal in the first period.
- Radko Gudas blocked a team-high five shots.
- Cole Reinhardt had a team-high seven hits.
- Aleksander Barkov won 78.6% of his faceoffs.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Panthers will continue their preseason with a rematch against the Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
To watch, visit PanthersPlus.tv.
