MIAMI — The Florida Panthers continue to stun the hockey world in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and in no small part due to the play of Matthew Tkachuk.
The first-year Panther was instrumental in Florida toppling the Boston Bruins in the opening round, and Tkachuk wreaked havoc on the Toronto Maple Leafs in a Game 1 win to open the second round.
One person not surprised is his younger brother Brady, who ranks Matthew Tkachuk among the most effective players in the NHL.
“This is definitely going to be biased, but I think he's the smartest player in the NHL,” Brady said on the FAN Morning Show in Toronto on Thursday .
“It's just the plays he makes, even last game, just little skill plays where the puck is in his feet, he kicks it to his stick and all of a sudden, he's making a play cross-ice to the off side. It’s just little plays like that where you can see it on video happen, but when you're playing, it's just so hard to be able to make that play.”
Speaking on the Locked on Panthers podcast, Steele Rodin of Locked on Fantasy Hockey said he thinks Tkachuk "might be the most talented player in the NHL.
"And not just talking about his hockey skills, but also his ability to be physical, but not physical to the point where he's taking bad penalties."
So far this postseason, Tkachuk has recorded five goals and nine assists in eight games, with 25 shots and 29 hits - including six in the opening period of Game 1 - also to his credit.
He's emerged as a legitimate Conn Smythe Trophy candidate - awarded to the playoff MVP - after a regular season that should garner Hart Trophy consideration as the overall league MVP.
“He just stepped up and quite frankly, the Florida Panthers wouldn't be where they are if it wasn't for Matthew,” Brady added on The Fan. “So, it's carried over and he's just doing it day in and day out, which has been impressive not only as a brother, but somebody in the hockey world to see somebody take that next step and kind of find that next level when it matters the most.”
Some people questioned sending Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to Calgary last summer for Matthew Tkachuk, but nobody's doubting that move right now.