1. Game 7 guarantee. Matthew helped the Florida Panthers come back from a 3-1 deficit to upset the top-seed Boston Bruins in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After his Game 5 overtime goal, he told his teammates they would be back in Boston for Game 7.
2. First Family of Hockey. Matthew isn’t the only hockey star in the Tkachuk family. His younger brother, Brady, is the captain of the Ottawa Senators, his dad, Keith, played 18 years in the NHL and his younger sister, Taryn, plays field hockey at the University of Virginia.
3. Gym Class All-Stars. Matthew was in the same gym class and friends with Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in middle school. Both players won the All-Star Game MVP this year for their respective sports!
4. Top cat. Yesterday, Matthew set the Panthers record for most points in a single season including the playoffs (121 and counting). His 109 regular season points was ranked sixth in the NHL.
5. Hot new wheels. Matthew’s first purchase after signing a contract extension with the Panthers in July was a golf cart. He calls the golf cart his prized possession and uses it to get around the neighborhood.
Image source: Matthew Tkachuk on Instagram