Matthew Tkachuk on Verge Of NHL History

How close is he to the most penalty minutes in the Stanley Cup Final:

Matthew Tkachuk’s misconducts bring him closer to dubious history. Tkachuk is looking to help Florida make history, as the team is in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final on the hunt for the Panthers’ first championship. In the process, Tkachuk is making some history of his own. 

Vegas has jumped out to a 3-1 series lead, winning in convincing fashion at home in Vegas before splitting the next two games in Florida. The Panthers have tried to get under the Golden Knights’ skin but have been unsuccessful to this point. Their physical style has only backfired, giving Vegas plenty of opportunities to cash in on the power play. Now, the injuries and penalty minutes are piling up, with Florida searching for answers as the series shifts back to Vegas.

To win this series, the Panthers need Tkachuk to spend more time on the ice— not watching Florida on television like the rest of us. They will also have to hope that what happened in Vegas stays in Vegas. Inside the Glass looks at where the Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk ranks in the history books regarding the most penalty minutes in a Stanley Cup Final series. He currently stands second with 50 penalty minutes, behind only Mel Bridgeman of the Philadelphia Flyers back in the 1980 Series Final, who has 53 but needed only six games to get there.

Most penalty minutes in a Stanley Cup Final series

Only four games are in the books so far, but Tkachuk is making his own bid for history — already cracking the top 2 of most penalty minutes in a Stanley Cup Final series.

Matthew Tkachuk misconducts

Through the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final, Tkachuk has been called for five minor penalties and four misconducts — two of them coming in the third period of Game 2, ending his night. 

Here is every misconduct Tkachuk has been given during the series:

Game 1, Third period

The first 10-minute penalty handed out to Tkachuk came in the third period of Game 1 after he was caught punching Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague after the play was over.

Game 2, Second period

The second Tkachuk misconduct of the series, and the first of Game 2, came at the end of the second period after his big hit on Jack Eichel The penalty was given for the extracurriculars that happened after the hit, not because of it. 

Tkachuk defended his hit after the game while talking to reporters. “They might have thought that game was a little bit out of reach, maybe in the second period, but we certainly didn’t,” he said. “We’ve scored seven goals in a period before. You never know in playoffs.”

Eichel came to Tkachuk’s defense and said that the hit was “clean” and that he had just toe-picked at the wrong time on the play. Eichel was able to play in the third period, so the scuffle ultimately was much ado about nothing.

Game 2, third period

Tkachuk was finally tossed from Game Two with yet another misconduct that ended his night after knocking Vegas center Michael Amadio’s stick out of his hand. Maybe a quick jump to a misconduct, but the refs are trying to control the end of a very lopsided game.

Game 4, third period

Tkachuk hardly played in the final period of Game Four, but he was one of the main reasons why the end of the contest resulted in an all-out brawl. With Vegas successfully holding off Florida’s comeback attempt, the frustration boiled over as the buzzer rang, resulting in plenty of punches, shoves, and slashes. 

Tkachuk received two minor penalties, one for slashing and one for unsportsmanlike conduct, while also receiving another misconduct. He is well on track to be the number one in penalty minutes in just five games. We will see if Tkachuk’s antics will get him the record and see if he can crack the nut that is the Golden Knights before they crack his in Game 5 and beyond, if necessary.