Insider Recalls Florida Panthers Trade That Tilted Hockey’s Axis

The Florida Panthers pulled off a trade in 2022 that effectively shifted the NHL's balance of power in favor of the back-to-back champs.

Matthew Tkachuk was the missing piece in the Florida Panthers' playoff puzzle in 2022. | Mike Carlson/GettyImagesThe Florida Panthers rocked the NHL world by swinging a major trade on July 22, 2022. The Panthers landed RFA forward Matthew Tkachuk in a trade with the Calgary Flames.

At the time, the deal was a bit of a head-scratcher. Until then, the Panthers weren’t known as a premier destination for free agents. The Panthers had historically struggled to lure top-name players.

Of course, that’s not the case anymore, but the Tkachuk trade, as insider Frank…