Panthers Face Two Big Questions Heading Into Camp
Can The Tkachuks Actually Elevate Each Other
Brady and Matthew each landed on NHL Network's list of the top 20 wings in the league right now, and the question is whether playing together full-time for the first time in their NHL careers pushes them to another level entirely.
Panthers GM Bill Zito has already seen a preview of what that could look like. He served as an assistant GM for Team USA when the brothers played together at the 4 Nations Face-off in 2025 and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where the Americans won gold.
The @FlaPanthers are aiming for the #StanleyCup Playoffs after a flurry of new additions! 😼
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 12, 2026
Take an inside look at the Panthers ahead of the 2026-27 season ⤵️ https://t.co/DTpTprSrn9
"I think when you have teams and you have two people on the team that love each other unconditionally, it makes the team better. I believe that," Zito said. "That could apply to them. That could apply to whoever. But having seen them together in tournaments twice, they have an impact."
The trade itself, completed June 21, sent Florida's No. 9 and No. 25 picks in the 2026 draft, a conditional 2029 first-rounder, and a 2027 second-round pick to Ottawa. Brady posted 59 points in 60 games with the Senators last season and is expected to slot into a second-line role behind his brother, giving Florida a very impressive top-nine.
Who's the starting goalie
The bigger question might be in net. Florida moved on from longtime starter Sergei Bobrovsky, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1 after backstopping the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.
In his place, Florida acquired Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils on June 30 and brought in Akira Schmid, betting the tandem can replace a future Hall of Famer.
Brady just can’t wait to be with the boys and be a Panther 😭🐆 pic.twitter.com/A9j4RZrc1d
— Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk (@Wingmenpod) August 10, 2026
The concern isn't just performance, it's his durability. Markstrom was a Vezina finalist in 2022 but has declined over the past two seasons in New Jersey, and struggled to stay healthy while Schmid has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHL starter.
The Health Question
Both questions sit on top of a very simple one: can Florida stay healthy?
Captain Aleksander Barkov tore his ACL and MCL in his first training camp practice last season and missed the entire year, while Matthew Tkachuk himself missed the first 47 games recovering from offseason surgery. Seth Jones, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and several others also missed significant time.
Florida entered the offseason with $15.7 million in cap space before the Tkachuk trade and now sits at just $34,286, meaning the roster the Panthers have now is the roster they're taking into the season.
A healthy, full-strength Florida team with the Tkachuk brothers finally playing together looks like a legitimate contender again.
