#at that point it’s go panthers even if the panthers are a Florida team

[kdsburneraccount]

So I guess both the nba and nhl are most likely gonna have all conference finals sweeps

[tkachuktkaching]

Tkachuk brothers set for ‘healthy competition’ when Senators host Panthers

Brady of Ottawa, Matthew of Florida to play against one another for 19th time in NHL

The mutual admiration society that is the Tkachuk family will be on display once again Monday.

Matthew Tkachuk and his Florida Panthers visit Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Center with each Tkachuk brother and each team hungry for a victory.

The Panthers (12-7-1) have lost two in a row and are six points behind the Boston Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Senators (8-8-0) are eighth in the Atlantic and trying to keep pace in the race for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

At this point, though, they are used to high stakes when they face each other in the NHL.

“We are each other’s biggest fan,” older brother Matthew said. “When we play against each other now, especially [being] in the same division, we have to beat each other, our teams have to win. It creates that healthy competition. It’s a very good relationship the two of us have.”

Now in their sixth season of going head-to-head in the best hockey league in the world, the brothers have learned to compartmentalize when they play each other.

They go hard against each other on the ice and it often gets heated. It is also mostly even.

They have played against one another 18 times in the NHL and each has won nine games. Each forward has scored six goals, including one on the power play. Brady has 25 penalty minutes, Matthew 23. Brady 62 shots on goal, one more than Matthew. Brady has a decided advantage in hits (64-31), but Matthew has 20 points to Brady’s 11 (statistics provided by NHL Stats).

Yet, it never spills over off the ice. There, they are staunch supporters of one another, displaying a bond that seems to intensify each season.

“I think he is the smartest player in the NHL,” Brady says. “How he sees the game, I don’t think anybody is up there with how he sees it. I think he is one of the best players in the NHL. I think everybody is finally starting to believe what I believed from Day 1, that he has such an impact and is so good at what he does.”

Matthew, 25, is coming off a run to the Stanley Cup Final last season. He was injured in the Final against the Vegas Golden Knights and the Panthers lost in five games, but Matthew was the unquestioned star for his team in the postseason after an MVP-worthy regular season when he had an NHL career-high 109 points (40 goals, 69 assists).

Brady, 24, was around for some of that playoff run. He showed up for the bigger games and even helped his brother get to the rink for Game 4 after Matthew sustained a broken sternum in Game 3. Matthew played in Game 4 but couldn’t go in Game 5.

“Going into [Game 4], I was a little nervous. What he did in that game, trying to work around it, the pain, not many people can do that,” Brady said. “I was super proud of him sacrificing himself to get the job for his team and the city. “Seeing how happy he made my family and how proud everyone was with what he did with that opportunity, I want that for me too. It created such a motivation. It’s an honor for him to be my brother and to learn from him.”

This season, after spending the offseason recovering from injury, Matthew has 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 20 games.

Brady has 15 points (10 goals, five assists) in 16 games and is giving his older sibling a run for personal bragging rights.

“On the ice, I’m probably more powerful, little better skater,” Brady says when asked for a comparison between he and his brother. “I don’t know, everything I do, I want to emulate him and emulate his game. I feel I’m starting to get there, but there’s a long way to go. He’s the perfect person to look up to on the ice.”

Matthew says that Brady already has “a way better” shot than him.

Brady is also the more physical player, each agrees.

“I don’t know if I’m much better than him at on-ice stuff anymore,” Matthew says.

They compete off the ice too, but Matthew is ready to abdicate the crown there on almost every front except one.

“He’s probably like an overall genuinely better person than me, I’m more of a [jokester] than he is, more of an instigator,” Matthew says. “He’s probably overall just a genuinely nicer human being. I will work on that.”

Brady, meanwhile, says he can’t hold a candle to his older brother on the golf course.

“I still kick his [butt] every time we play,” Matthew said, laughing.

Says Brady, “I got to figure that out.”

[lfghughes]

hi!!!

could you do one with Matthew Tkachuk? Him and his girlfriend at a post-victory party, you walk away for a few seconds and a big, drunk man tries to hit on you in a rude way. Imagine a jealous and overprotective Tkachuk.

a/n: i feel like i say this a lot but this was one of the most fun things i've ever written so i hope you enjoy it. overprotective tkachuk might just be my favorite thing and yes i had to use this gif.

warning: cursing, alcohol, fighting, and slight smut mention at the very end

The boys were leading the series 3-0 and even though it was still early to celebrate because if anyone knew about making comebacks when you were down by 3 it was your boyfriends team. But you all still wanted to celebrate the fact that you made it this far into playoffs and you were one win away from going to the Stanley cup final. The pre-mature celebration was going to happen regardless and you knew if or when that final win happened you guys would do it all over again.

There were plenty of drinks going around the bar and well the Panthers team definitely knew how to get a party started here in South Florida. “Hey babe, I’m gonna run to the bathroom real quick. Can you hold my drink?” You asked Matthew and he immediately grabbed your cup from you. Not only was he great on the ice but he made a fantastic bag holder and cup holder when needed. This was something you teased him about constantly.

On your way back from the bathroom you searched the crowd and it was hard to find Matthew in the mix of all the teammates and just regular people that were out but finally your eyes landed on him. As you were making your way back to him someone caught your arm and when you turned to see who you were a little surprised because it was some stranger. When you had first been grabbed you had figured it was one of the boys trying to get your attention but not a stranger. “Excuse me sir.” You pulled your arm away and immediately felt uncomfortable because you could tell this guy had way too much to drink.

“I was just wondering if I could buy a pretty girl like you a drink?” You should have just walked away and left the conversation as soon as you could but instead you shook your head. “I’m good! My boyfriend is holding my drink over there.” You pointed out to him but you realized Matthew was not where you last saw him. Now came the nerves. “Just because you have a boyfriend doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate ya.”

Yeah, you needed to walk away but there were too many bodies around not letting you move but before you could even try to wriggle around people you saw the strangers body get pulled away from you and your boyfriend stepped in between you two. “I don’t know what the hell you’ve been saying to my girlfriend but you need to leave her alone.” You were used to Matthews aggressiveness on the ice and you had seen his jealous side come out before but this was different.

“Go mind your own business, I was just offering to buy your pretty girlfriend a drink maybe she should be more appreciative.” This was going to get bad, you could tell by Matts body language and the way he tensed up. “She is my business so step back.” That should have been enough warning but clearly it wasn’t because the guy stepped forward closer. Before you could grab Matthew and walk away fists started flying and it took a solid five minutes before the security in the bar and the other boys could pull Matthew off the other.

It was no surprise that Matthew got asked to leave and you gladly left with him because this night had clearly gone down the drain. “I’m sorry for ruining your night out.” You told him quietly as you walked to the car. He stopped immediately, stepping in front of you and placing his hand gently on the side of your face. “You didn’t do anything, that guy was an ass.” A small smile grew on your lips as you looked up at him. “I will say it was pretty hot when you got all overprotective.” You pointed out and a smirk grew on his lips. “Oh yeah? Well I guess I should get us home so you can show me how hot you think I was.”

[whirlpool-blogs]

Matthew Tkachuk Daddy Issues primer

1) https://floridahockeynow.com/keith-tkachuk-rips-the-florida-panthers-calls-them-a-soft-team/

“This is do-or-die for the Panthers right now,’’ Keith told First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo. “I watched them the other night and I know I am staying at Brady’s house and Brady’s team played really well. They have some jam and, you know, I am a little disappointed with the Panthers.

“They are a soft team and they are getting everything they deserve right now.” To continue on that point, Keith Tkachuk said for the Panthers to snap their losing streak in Toronto, they need to bring a little more toughness to their game.

“Instead of trying to get autographs on the ice from Matthews and Marner,” he said, “they probably should check them a little harder. Whatever it is, it is disappointing. I know I sound like a frustrated person, but I know every time I come and watch Ottawa, they may not be the most talented team but they’re going to play hard. Perhaps Florida could take a page out of their book.”

2) https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-brady-wins-tkachuk-battle-bettman-hints-lebreton-flats-a-little-small/

There was a “Brady is Better” chant at a game when the two brothers played each other, and Keith was at that game. Some speculate that Keith started it.

3) https://www.bladeofsteel.com/Keith-Tkachuk-explains-why-he-would-not-throw-his-hat-for-his-son-hat-trick-goal-126638

Keith refusing to throw his hat for Matthew’s hat trick, even when Taryn and Brady were also at that game.

4) https://theathletic.com/351173/2018/05/13/in-the-tkachuk-family-its-chantal-who-is-the-captain-of-the-house/

[On the family chalkboard in the kitchen] “It’s always like, ‘Happy birthday’ or ‘Welcome home, Brady!’ or ‘Can’t wait for you to leave, Matthew,’” said a chuckling Keith Tkachuk.

xxx

[A little insight into Matthew being the intense one and Brady being easier to get along with]

It’s an interesting snapshot because Matthew, a fiery competitor who was twice suspended by the NHL last season, is smiling, while Brady, a happy-go-lucky personality, is scowling.

“This picture is great because now it’s the opposite,” Keith said.

“That’s so true, so true,” Chantal said.

xxx

Chantal reads everything about her boys, too, noting that she is a subscriber to The Athletic.

“I like it,” she said.

“Except when they gave Brady a bad draft rating,” Keith said.

xxx

Keith then reminded his kids, “You guys better get your butts to the store and get some cards for your mom.”

“Actually, Matthew bought me a Mother’s Day gift this year,” she said.

“He had to have gotten you something that benefited him,” Keith responded. “What did he buy you, like eight beers or something?”

“No, Lululemon shoes,” Chantal answered. “He’s a great gift giver now that he has his own money.”

“It’s the least I could do,” Matthew said.

5) https://theathletic.com/229963/2018/02/02/he-has-that-face-you-just-want-to-punch-matthew-tkachuk-isnt-about-to-change-the-way-he-plays/

“He has that face you just want to punch, according to other players,” said his father Keith.

“I’m sure if I played against him, I’d go after him, too.”

“This kid, I find a lot of flaws in his game because I’m his dad, and that’s what dads do.”

“I love the fact that he plays with an edge,” said Dad. “I told him that I’d rather see him sit out a game for being too aggressive than sit out a game because he’s soft.”

6) https://www.bardown.com/brady-matthew-tkachuk-s-parents-explain-why-they-re-happy-their-kids-aren-t-in-the-same-conference-1.1121784

Chantal, by the way, told me she is happy Matthew and Brady are not in the same conference. Keith said: “I’m glad too. I don’t trust Matthew.”

7) https://theathletic.com/1984477/2020/08/10/its-distinctly-matthew-tkachuks-postseason-presence-drawing-rave-reviews/

“Keith wanted Matthew’s coaches to push him as hard they could. He would tell me, ‘You can be more demanding,'” said Granato. “It’s delicate because, as a coach, you have to consider how hard you can push a guy. And you love the guys you can push harder. Those are the guys you fall in love with as a coach. With Matthew? There was no limit.”

8) https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/tkachuk-brothers-vibrant-personalities-stem-from-colourful-st-louis-roots/

Keith said he remembered watching Matthew on the After Hours segment on Hockey Night in Canada as a rookie, conducting the whole interview with his head down.

“I said, ‘What are you doing? Get your head up and talk,’” said Keith.

“But now it’s like this (as he snaps his fingers).

“I watched Matthew interviewed last night and he was pretty good. He adds some normal stuff to it that people like. It’s not about the same answers. He does a good job.”

9) https://theathletic.com/4503016/2023/05/10/matthew-tkachuk-florida-panthers-nhl-playoffs/

From his father, Keith Tkachuk, he learned to accept responsibility: "You didn't win? Play better."

10) https://www.tumblr.com/matthewtkafuck/190505229656?source=share

Keith: “Matthew’s in love, but with himself.”

11) https://www.tumblr.com/raliegh/680996428961726464/lettucemakar-matthew-daddy-issues-tkachuk?source=share

Q: "What sort of text message do you think you'll get after getting five points against the team your dad works for?"

MT: "Um, I'm not sure, I'm sure he would have, I don't know maybe I'm putting words in his mouth--I'm not even going to say it, what I was about to--but he probably wanted it to be an OT game but for us to play well. Um, I don't know who he wanted to win the OT game but uh, no he, he, it doesn't matter what team he works for but he's obviously my [and] my brother's biggest fan and great mentor and obviously not only him but my linemates and teammates know how much I want to win against those guys, hometown team lots of people watching, same as, we got a lot of guys from Toronto, its like when we go to Toronto we want to win that game for the guys that are from there, tons of people watching so, I don't know exactly what he'll text me. Maybe he went to bed early and I won't even get a text I don't know."

[hinakyuu]

pretty sure it's only a matter of time before I have a complete meltdown about Matthew being so embraced by the Panthers org as a whole. they just appreciate him so much and it's 🥹���🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

delayed meltdown ‘til the end of SCF sjdjdk (OKAY so i wasn’t planning on replying to this with a whole ass essay, but i couldn’t stop once i started 🫠 tldr; matthew was determined to make a family of his new team and everyone found themselves helpless to resist and now here we are!)

honestly, yeah, i can’t imagine what it was like for the panthers to lose two guys that were not only such an integral part of their team, but had been playing there for several years (huberdeau a decade??). it’s the same for any big trade, the adjustments having to be made, the growing pains of having to establish a new team identity, navigating all the other shit that comes with it. at the beginning i’m sure it was professionalism driving their interactions, not all the players knew what matthew would be like, all the reference they had was on-ice interactions (with the exception of bennett and lomby). and barky is such a nice guy, there’s no way he’d be anything less than polite to the new guy (even if they got him in exchange for his longtime teammate and friend).

what gets me all the time is that we know matthew was struggling in calgary, even if the fans loved him and he had some good friends there, ultimately they treated his emotions/passion as a liability. you know the whole “it can’t be a riot every night” and then not stepping in to defend him when there was an altercation; they just didn’t have his back. then cut to the big blockbuster trade of the summer and he’s so earnest when he says how happy he was to be going to florida, how intentional it all was on his end, he really really wanted to come to florida and play for them, saw a future with them.

then matthew is just the same guy he always is: the guy that takes the trainers out to dinner. i think what started off as a professional relationship with his team has turned into genuine friendship. the panthers, especially under barky’s leadership, weren’t going to turn the new guy away; they all want to make this work, they all want to play great hockey together and hopefully even win the big one. but it’s so amazing to me how they really embraced him, no one is asking him to change his style of play, to be quieter, smaller. they defend him and jump in if he’s in trouble (even if he’s not in trouble).

they joke with him, laugh with him, have nothing but great things to say about him, sometimes not even related to how many goals he scored or assists he made or points he has, but just how great a person they find him. matthew knows his team has his back and in turn he can give over all of himself to them. and look how far they got as a team when everyone feels supported by the other and has trust in each other. not to be extra corny, but i think the power of friendship has really sorta propelled this team to where they are. not to say they haven’t been playing great hockey, because clearly they wouldn’t be where they are if they didn’t have the skill or all the technical components.

i think the tumultuous regular season they had really tested the new florida panthers identity and it was either going to make or break them. their ability to adapt as a team, to grind and work hard as a team, having the gall to believe in themselves when everyone thought they had no business being in the playoffs, all that comes down to trusting what they’ve worked all season to establish. and yeah, sometimes hosting a team dinner is a seemingly inconsequential thing that helps with that.

[eastoncowan]

Hi! My friend and I are getting into hockey and we’re kind of wondering what the vibe on Max Domi is?? I’m kind of seeing mixed messages about him so we were wondering why you like him so we can figure out what his deal is and if we should try to pay attention to him more on the leafs. Thanks!

hi anon!! just wanna say before i get going that i’m in love with this ask and you by extension for asking, and i’m sorry this took me so long!

now on to the propaganda (this is long i’m not sorry)

i’m obligated to preface this by saying i’m hugely biased as a Leafs fan who grew up in Southern Ontario. my dad has always been a pretty big Tie Domi fan, so liking Max just seemed like a natural continuation of that.

baby Max with Mats Sundin, then-captain of the Leafs. he’s just a little guy,,

born March 2nd, 1995, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, one month before Tie was traded (back) to the Leafs, Max spent his childhood in Mississauga, Ontario, roughly half an hour west of Toronto. at the age of 12, following some health complications at a hockey tournament in Detroit, blood work revealed that Max had type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. 

not the end of the world, clearly, but a pretty significant shock for a kid with aspirations of greatness. of course, he was able to manage it, with time, and when i finally read his book i’ll tell y’all more about it i promise.

these pictures make me emotional,, a couple of Domis, a couple of decades apart,,, except Max looks about 200% cuntier

anyway

scored a hatty in his OHL debut (slay). won consecutive OHL championships with the London Knights in 2012 and 2013 (double slay). selected 12th overall by the Phoenix (now Arizona) Coyotes, and signed a three year ELC (!). won gold with Team Canada at the 2015 WJC, and was named the tournament’s best forward (huge W). traded to the Montréal Canadiens in 2018, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020, to the Carolina Hurricanes (via the Florida Panthers) at the trade deadline of March 31st 2022, to the Chicago Blackhawks in July of 2022, to the Dallas Stars in March 2023, and finally signed as a free agent to our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs on July 2nd 2023. he’s been on seven different NHL teams since he was drafted. 

sadly, as i’ve only been a hockey fan for one calendar year, i cannot provide much insight into his time with NHL teams other than the Leafs. i have ordered and am waiting for his book to come in so i can better rotate him in my mind, but i encourage anyone who knows more about his other teams’ lore to add to this post or send me what you know, so i can share it with the world. (pls i wanna know everything about him ever)

what i can say is that him and Mitch Marner were teammates on the London Knights for two seasons, (13-14 and 14-15), the second of which saw Max as captain and Mitch as an alternate captain. the season after, Mitch was named captain in Max’s stead. seeing them back together on the Leafs brings joy to my little London Knights heart.

now back to him as a Leaf. 

the current Leafs points leaders, as of December 30th, are as follows:

William Nylander - 48P (17G 31A)

Auston Matthews - 44P (29G 15A)

Mitch Marner - 38P (14G 24A)

John Tavares - 31P (11G 20A)

Morgan Rielly - 27P (4G 23A) 

Max Domi - 21P (3G 18A)

the first five of these are pretty much to be expected, but there’s my close good friend Max Domi right there too :) he’s doing his part, and even if he’s not the biggest scorer, assists are just as important and valuable :) if i have to kill y’all with positivity for this i will :) i love him dearly :)

also, he currently sits at 389 career points, and he’s nowhere near done, while Tie Domi earned 245 points in his entire career of 1020 games. nobody can say shit to me about him not living up to his dad’s legacy (Note: Tie also sits at third in NHL history for penalty minutes with 3515, but that’s a stat nobody will ever surpass. ever. the current PIM leader in the NHL is Corey Perry, and he only has 1392.)

and now i’m not about to sit here and pretend i know how to quantify the skills of an NHL player, let alone describe them in great detail. i do not. however, what i do know is that i love watching him play and make plays. in my eyes, he is a good player, and this is the Max Domi Propaganda Blog so if you want something less biased i can’t help you, sorry :’)

this love began in a preseason game against the Habs, on Oct 2nd. his first game as a Leaf in Toronto, he scores a tip-in against his former team, and he shrugs it off like NBD. for those of you who were following me at the time, you know i was not normal about it then and i am not normal about it now. i think about that celly every goddamn day. 

much to my great sorrow, they Leafed this game up and lost in OT 5-4. but either way, this was the moment that definitively kicked off the Rick eastoncowan Domishka era. 

and the only time Max ever seems to get a scoring chance, it’s either on a breakaway or from a spot that would have been absolutely NASTY if it went in. my mans only wants sexy goals, which is a stance i respect immensely. 

his first regular season goal… didn’t give him any points. it was beautiful, and a game winner, but since it happened in a shootout, it didn’t count towards his points totals. personally, i think this is bullshit, but now is neither the time nor the place for me to get into my issues with some of the NHL’s rules. (Nov 10, 2023, Flames @ Leafs)

Domishka bardownski SO winner,,, you were so beautiful and so unappreciated but i will never forget you </3

now.

Max’s first real goal as a Leaf.

for those of you who followed me at the time, you may recall this post:

a post that the Hockey Gods took to heart

and obviously i followed through. what do you think i am, some kind of quitter?

and, again, unfortunately, we Leafed that one up, too. we lost it in OT again, so still no Domi belt pic for Rick :(

now i’m not going to go back and gif all 18 of his assists, because i don’t think y’all care quite that much about Visual Proof of all of them. for your convenience, though, i did go back and track down whose goals he had assisted on, and the results aren’t super surprising IMO

Calle Järnkrok, Nick Robertson (assisted on 5 each)

Matthew Knies (assisted on 4)

William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, Timothy Liljegren (assisted on 1 each)

anyway, now for what is quite possibly my favourite game that i didn’t actually get to watch live.

December 16, 2023, Penguins @ Leafs, a decisive 7-0 victory.

it was also a 3 point night for Max, two of which helped to complete Matthew Knies’ Gordie Howe hat trick, the first since Daniel Winnik in 2015. but a goal and an assist are only two parts of it, the third being a fight. a fight which Knies initiated against John Ludvig after he knocked out yet another of Max’s front teeth with his stick. a fight which was Knies’ first ever. i’m still mad i didn’t see this happen live, but i’ve rewatched the game in its entirety twice, and the highlights too many times to count. this game sparked my undying love for the 23-11-16 line, which is a line i still pray keefe will bring back.

and so, we have a goal and a fight, and we have an assist to finish off the hat trick, and none of it would have happened without Max :)

and speaking of fights, Max has had a couple of em himself in his time as a Leaf so far. granted, if you ask hockeyfights dot com, he didn’t win either of them, but that’s not what matters. what matters is that he looked beautiful doing it, whether it was against Ian Cole (VAN) or Sam Bennett (FLA), especially with the fun added bonus of him flexing his full head of hair at Bennett’s bald dome. as an aside, i fucking hate Sam Bennett, so Max trying to fight him was… well it made me feel things. all i’m gonna say.

max’s third goal was also gorgeous. stunning. amazing. another beautiful bardown, the sound of which lives on in my dreams.

this is getting far longer than it really needs to be, so i’ll take a step back and give you my true, honest thoughts.

Max Domi has been a very helpful player for the Leafs since he got here. he obviously has the drive to play here and to play well here, and 21 points is nothing to be ashamed of. you know who else has 21 points as of me writing this? Alex Ovechkin. and now i’m not saying they are players of the same caliber, but Max is 6th on the Leafs in points, and Ovi is tied for first on the Caps. 21 points is still 21 points, no matter where in the standings someone is. Max was born to be a Leaf, and nothing makes me happier than to see him here and thriving on the team he’s loved since he was a kid. he takes shots, blocks shots, defends his boys and is defended right back in turn. 

and i would not be Rick eastoncowan if i didn’t mention that i think he is hot. like stupid hot. especially without his teeth. fuck, the heart wants what the heart wants, and damn if my heart doesn’t want this tiny toothless idiot. 

[youcouldmakealife]

David/Jake; looking askance

For the prompt:  Protective David which it basically doesn’t even follow, because David wanted to add like ~backstory, and ~lead up and I am as helpless to David as Jake Lourdes is, though a lot more exasperated about it.

David doesn’t like Tampa Bay.

It isn’t anything personal, really, has nothing to do with the city or with the team, no matter how frustrating they can be to play, especially when Sebastien Boucher decides that night is going to be one of those nights. They happen less than they used to, but they’re still irritatingly common.

It has nothing to do with Tampa, it has to do with how David feels when he’s there. And David’s feeling the mix of feelings he always faces in Tampa: frustrated, on edge, and irritated at everything and everyone. The Panthers are the second game on their trip to Florida, so he’s in a better mood than he would be otherwise, but he’s also jittery, impatient, all the time he’s spent away from Jake coalescing into one last day that feels intolerable after all the rest.

It makes no sense, but it happens every time. Well, every time he isn’t in Tampa on the back end of the road trip, missing Jake more than he rightfully should after a single day.

So he’s already tense before he catches the night’s highlights over a post-game dinner with Raf at the hotel bar, their eyes flicking up occasionally, lingering for especially exceptional plays. And for people they know, David supposes, because he typically would have looked right back down the second he saw two players circling one another — he does not consider that to be a highlight of any game, particularly because it is, by all accounts, against the rulebook, and shouldn’t be encouraged the way it is — but he saw the Panthers jersey, and then a split second later, recognised the way Jake holds himself. He apparently recognises it even when he’s fighting. David wasn’t aware of that until now.

Raf sucks a breath through his teeth when Jake goes down. Not down — not out cold, not his head hitting the ice, all those worst case scenarios that make David go cold every time a fight involves someone he cares about. Thankfully most of them aren’t fighters, with one notable exception.

Jake gets up again quickly, nothing too hurt but, David imagines, his pride, because if he’s remembering correctly, Jarvis probably isn’t even legal to drink yet. When he pulls out his silenced phone he already has texts from Jake waiting, im fine! followed by lost that one lol. 

David does not consider there to be anything worth laughing about.

He also has one from Robbie, who’s sitting with Elliott down the bar, hahaha he’s such a dumbass and David scowls down at it, but he doesn’t send a text arguing the point.

*

David looks it up when he’s back in his hotel room to see what had sparked it. It wasn’t something he would consider an explanation — none of it is an excuse — not retaliation for an earlier hit, or an escalation of previous hostilities. As far as David can tell, it was just Jake trying to get his team invested in the game, down 4-1. 

David’s always found that to be specious reasoning. He’s certainly never grown more invested in a game solely because one of his teammates took a few punches. If anything, he just gets distracted, worrying they’ll be juggling lines for the rest of the game if his teammate gets injured. And even if it did work — wouldn’t that work just as well on the other team? A net zero impact at best is not something worth punching someone over.

He doesn’t say that when he calls Jake, of course, just asks how he’s feeling — fine — and whether he’s icing his face — yes, but David has suspicions that isn’t true, or if it is, it was a cursory icing at best.

“What time are you guys getting in?” Jake asks. “I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

“Are you even safe to drive?” David asks.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Jake asks.

“Your eye,” David says. It was already purpling in his postgame interview, and David imagines it’s significantly worse now.

“It hasn’t swollen shut or anything,” Jake says.

“That’s not an answer,” David points out.

“I’m safe to drive,” Jake says. “I’ll pick you up at the airport?”

“If I can clear it with the coaching staff,” David says, but they both know that means yes.

*

David deplanes ten minutes late onto hot tarmac and a text from Jake letting him know where his car is. He has cleared it with the coaching staff, as expected, so he splits from the team at the terminal, enduring a parting elbow and wink from Robbie.

Jake pops the trunk so David can put his carry-on in, thankfully not getting out and insisting on doing it himself, the way he usually does. David doesn’t know if that’s because he doesn’t feel up to it, or if David’s finally convinced him that, Florida or not, it’s an entirely unnecessary risk.

When he opens the passenger door he decides it’s probably the former. His eye’s a purple so deep it must look black in worse lights. Even on a sunny day, all David can see is shadow.

“Not as bad as it looks,” Jake says. Either David’s face gives something away, or that’s the way he’s had to greet everyone today.

David imagines he’s heard disapproval from his coaches. He’s also sure that among the back and ass slaps, he’s been chirped by his teammates for losing to a kid, even if that kid was bigger than him. He suspects Allie and Natalie have also chimed in with their opinions on the fight, and he doubts they were complimentary.

“That was a stupid fight,” David says anyway.

“I know,” Jake groans, exactly like someone who has heard that repeatedly since yesterday.

David reaches toward the bruise, livid, cresting his cheekbone, but Jake sucks in a breath before David’s fingers even make contact, and David pulls his hand away, puts it in his lap.

“Sorry,” Jake says.

“You look awful,” David says, and Jake laughs, then winces.

“I know,” Jake says.

“I don’t know why you keep getting into fights,” David says.

“Eh, it’s usually the other guy looking like this, not me,” Jake says.

David frowns. “That’s not better, Jake.”

“You’re right,” Jake says.

“It is better,” David says, “I didn’t mean it isn’t better for—“

“No, you’re right,” Jake says, “it’s not.”

David looks down at his hands, catches sight of Jake’s. They look sore, winter chapped but worse, his knuckles red and raw. He starts to reach out, then pulls his hands into his lap again. Flinches like it’s his own injury when Jake reaches out and threads their fingers.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” he asks, but Jake just squeezes his hand in answer, so if it does, David supposes Jake doesn’t mind.

[andrebearakovsky]

If each of the remaining playoff teams won the Cup this year, ranked by how fun it would be (for me personally)

1. Florida Panthers

I want this so bad. I adore Sasha Barkov (and Vladi Tarasenko) and I think this is a really, really good team that I would love to see win. They were so, so close last year, and I want to see them do it. I want the rat team to win their first ever Cup. And plus, could you imagine the cunty energy Matthew Tkachuk would have if he got to parade around with the Stanley Cup? Unmatched.

2. Vancouver Canucks

If the Cup goes back to Canada, I want it to be to this team. The turnaround this year was amazing, they’ve got great energy, and I’d like to see that core group win it together. And based on what happened in 2011, if they finally won their first ever Cup I think the city of Vancouver might actually go feral and tear itself apart. Plus, I need Quinn to win the Cup before Jack and Luke do for oldest sibling rights.

3. Nashville Predators

The team no one thought could do it making a gritty push and winning it all would be a great story. And it would be nice to see like Josi and Forsberg win it after coming so close a couple years ago. And the party in Nashville would be epic. And I think they’d be legally obligated to both A) go to the sphere and B) get U2 to perform at like the Cup parade if they win it.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs

While I am not necessarily rooting for them, seeing them finally break that curse would be something historic to see. They have NO Cups since the original expansion, and all the other original 6 teams have won at least one since then, so they have the longest current Cup drought despite technically having a lot of Cups. And if they’re gonna do it, they NEED to slay their personal demon (Bruins) along the way to get it done. I’m not sure if they’re strong enough, but if they can actually come back and win this round maybe that’ll give them the power to get it done. We’ll see.

5. Dallas Stars

I don’t really like this team, but they’re less annoying to me then they used to be and a good chunk of them have been there for a long time so that would be nice for them.

Okay actually I’m gonna stop lying to myself, I just want it for Joe Pavelski. I might cry if he won it tbh. But in that situation I would be rooting for Joe Pavelski and Joe Pavelski only.

6. Edmonton Oilers

While maybe it would be nice to see McDavid win it someday, I think he needs to suffer a little bit longer. MY team was halfway in the grave when they finally won it, so I think he should be too. It’s not time yet. Also this team is fucking annoying, the fan base can be fucking annoying, and the goal horn is anxiety-inducing. And you guys have like a bunch of Cups from the 80s so like. Shut up.

7. Colorado Avalanche

While not the worst of the options, it would not be the outcome I want. It’s been too soon since the last one I would just be annoyed. So many of them are still there. And they don’t even have Gabe this time, so what’s the point? They’re the only one remaining without their captain playing, and I don’t think it would be right.

8. Boston Bruins

While this is an entirely different group of Bruins from the last time they won, and while it would be cool to see Pasta win and Marchand to lift it as captain, my general hatred of Bruins and Boston sports does NOT want this to happen.

9. Carolina Hurricanes

They have a few things going for them: 1) Having the captain who won their first Cup as a player win their second Cup as the head coach would be super cool, and seeing Rod win as a coach would be cool. 2) I love Sebastian Aho and the former Caps they’ve got. But they’ve got some of the worst humans on their roster (DeAngelo and Lemieux) and they are incredibly fucking annoying, and the cons greatly outweigh the pros, so it’s a no from me dawg.

10. Vegas Golden Knights

You guys JUST fucking won it. I have exactly zero “oh it would be nice to see them win” feelings for anyone on this team. And you’re really damn annoying and I’m tired of you go away.

11. New York Rangers

I just really really really fucking hate this team, fuck you 🖕

[fannyyann]

Who has been the best player on a new team? 

Duhatschek: Matthew Tkachuk, Florida. If the machinations around Calgary’s off-season roster moves ... was the biggest story of the offseason, then Tkachuk’s relatively seamless adjustment to Florida (62 points in his first 47 games) stands out, even if the Panthers as a team have gone backward this year.

Gentille: ...yeah, put me down for Tkachuk. Florida’s got problems, and he is not one of them.

Goldman: It has to be Tkachuk, but that’s not really surprising considering he was the highest-caliber player to be on the move. 

Luszczyszyn: This is very easily Tkachuk. He’s a capital “S” superstar and was worth every penny of the trade and signing. There were many who questioned whether he could replicate last year’s breakout without Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm and those questions have been thoroughly answered. He ranks sixth in GSVA this year at 3.4 wins. The next closest newcomer is Brent Burns at 1.9 wins.

McIndoe: Yeah, I think I have to go with the crowd and say Tkachuk.

[keyshui]

i present to you, a very unserious post in which i insult every NHL team!

(this is all exaggerated so don’t get mad at me)

anaheim ducks - why is it that 1/3 of the way through the season you remember how to play hockey? like at this point it’s useless since you’re not making the playoffs and if you keep up like this you sure aren’t getting bedard

arizona coyotes - i do not like your jerseys. you would be forgettable but you suck too much for it

boston bruins - the only thing your team has going for you are your goalies and i hope next season you end up where the ducks are rn: not good enough for the playoffs and not bad enough for the draft lottery. sorry garnet hathaway (please come back)

buffalo sabres - i can define your entire team in one word: disappointment

calgary flames - anything good about you died when matthew tkachuk decided to go to florida. sorry!

carolina hurricanes - something about the “canes” nickname annoys the shit out of me. i hope you get a first round exit purely so the fans enjoying their team being good for once can be upset about it

chicago blackhawks - do i even have to say anything? because ew

colorado avalanche - literally how did you win the cup last year? thanks for the cup winning goalie btw <3 kuemper is better as a cap

columbus blue jackets - you don’t deserve bedard and i hope you lose the lottery since you’re clearly not pulling yourself out of the tank like the ducks

dallas stars - your jerseys are fucking ugly and the only stars player i can think of is tyler seguin (seriously… why that green…)

detroit red wings - you have the most obnoxious fan base i have ever had the displeasure of being in the same stadium with. LET GO OF THE 90s!!! PLEASE

edmonton oilers - how do you have two of the best players in the league and still manage to fail to get a cup every single playoffs

florida panthers - honestly if it weren’t for matthew tkachuk trade and the all stars game you’d be a dying, forgettable team

los angeles kings - i literally cant think of anything to put here. that’s how little you matter.

minnesota wild - one time in like 2019 the wild squished the caps at a game i was at so i decided that the wild suck. other than that y’all are so forgettable that i don’t have anything else to say

montreal canadiens - how is it that you keep managing to get beaten so so badly by teams that suck?

nashville predators - uuuugly ass jerseys and stuuuupid ass name

new jersey devils - jack hughes isn’t as hot as y’all think he is both in terms of attraction and skill

new york islanders - i hold a deep seated hatred for all new york city teams. you and your fanbases are so goddamn annoying

new york rangers - same with the islanders except 10x worse purely because of the little rivalry the caps hage with you (hope tom wilson squishes you tonight <3)

ottawa senators - really says something about your team that you had to name brady tkachuk of all people captain

philadelphia flyers - literally what is your logo i hate it. the only thing you have going for you is gritty and even that gets tiring REAL fast

pittsburgh penguins - i don’t care if the caps/pens rivalry doesn’t exist anymore it’s ingrained into me i hate you all and especially sidney crosby. you’re an aging team. retire already. ovechkin is better and malkin is overhyped

san jose sharks - wasted a sick ass team name on a depressing team

seattle kraken - y’all were doing so good at the start of the season what the hell happened. now it’s just disappointment…

st. louis blues - you’re one of those teams that i forget isn’t fake sometimes. like you’re not forgettable you’re just not… real

tampa bay lightning - i don’t get the hype the fanbase has for vasilevsky and your gray/yellow jerseys are way better than the normal ones

toronto maple leafs - auston matthews is not hot even slightly y’all just have competency kinks and it’s sad

vancouver canucks - quinn hughes looks so haunted and depressed all the time for a reason

vegas golden knights - did y’all think you were being funny when you decided to match with the kings?

washington capitals - jesus fuck just retire the entire goddamn team at this point. stop sending your prospects to the ahl and fucking play them if you want to give your roster some “youth” (i’m looking at you gmbm & laviolette)

winnipeg jets - if it weren’t for the fact that i used a website to make this list alphabetical order i would’ve forgotten you

[tkachuktkaching]

Tkachuk to be full participant at start of Panthers training camp

Forward ‘feeling great’ after fracturing sternum during Stanley Cup Final

LAS VEGAS -- Matthew Tkachuk will be a full participant when the Florida Panthers begin training camp Sept. 21.

The forward said at the NHL North American Player Media Tour on Tuesday during an interview for a future episode of the "NHL @TheRink" podcast that he is healthy more than three months after sustaining a fractured sternum in the first period of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights on June 8.

"I am feeling great," Tkachuk said. "It's been a very short summer, the way I want it to be every year going forward. The worst timing for the injury, obviously, Stanley Cup Final, but in a weird way I had time after where I wasn't missing X amount of months of game action, so I had the summer to get ready. I definitely improved on some things. The injury allowed me to work on some parts of fitness and conditioning and that is in the best form right now possible, and I just improved on some strength, which was my goal."

Tkachuk returned in the third period of Game 3 and scored the tying goal with 2:13 remaining. The Panthers won 3-2 in overtime.

He said he was given permission by team doctors to play through the pain in Game 4. He skated 16:40 and had four shots on goal in a 3-2 loss that put Florida down 3-1 in the best-of-7 series. Tkachuk did not play Game 5, which Vegas won 9-3 to win the Stanley Cup.

"I think I realized I was in the most pain when we won that Game 3," Tkachuk said. "I missed a big portion of it, came back and we won it in overtime. After the game, I'm walking around and normally you have the high spirits after a win, especially in the playoffs. It doesn't matter what you're going through, you're on top of the world. And I was pumped, but I still knew that half of my body felt like it was [in pain]. I knew something wasn't right.

“I didn't know what it was at the time. We did all my tests the next day, then I came back and basically with doctor's orders was given the opportunity to do everything I could to play just one game. [I] did it. I would have done it all over again if I had the chance."

Tkachuk said he wasn't worried about long-term effects of the break in his sternum, knowing that would heal, but there were some internal issues that that led to some scary moments.

"I'll try to keep it short, but there's all the blood vessels and stuff and that was the scary part at the time and that was the most concerning part in my health at the time," Tkachuk said. "But right now, it's good."

He was able to play Game 4 despite not even being able to get out of bed without assistance from his brother, Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk.

"I'm not going to lie, that was the craziest thing I've ever kind of been a part of," Brady said Tuesday, also for a future episode of the "NHL @TheRink" podcast. "I just flew in for the game because I wanted to see a Stanley Cup Final game and he came back from the rink in the morning and just looked awful. He was like, 'I’ve got to go take a nap.' And then he calls me at 3:30 and I'm downstairs. He says, 'Can you come up here?' We were just mucking it up and then he's like, 'Alright, I need you to help me up.' I'm like, 'You're joking.' He's like, 'No, I legit can't get up. I just sneezed and I thought I died.'

“He was going through some serious pain and just to see him be able to find a way to just play in that game and have the mindset of treating this as my last game, do whatever it takes, try to get a win and put ourselves in a better position going into Game 5, I was so proud of him. The way he played, trying to work around it, not many people can do, especially at the pain level he was at."

Tkachuk finished last season tied for sixth in the NHL with 109 points (40 goals, 69 assists) in 79 games. He led the Panthers and was tied for third in the NHL in playoff scoring with 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 20 games.

Florida is not expected to have defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour on the ice for the start of training camp; each has been rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. Tkachuk said they may not be back until around Christmas.

[madlori]

Hey it’s the Stanley Cup Playoffs!

I know a lot of y’all have recently gotten or are currently getting into hockey and it’s the most exciting time of the year for fans, the Stanley Cup playoffs! Round 1 is almost over - three rounds to go. So I thought I’d do a lil catch-up, and hit me up with any hockey or playoff questions!

So how does this circus work?

The NHL playoffs are generally considered the hardest playoffs in sports. It is a four-round, best-of-seven tournament with the winning team playing as many as 28 games past the end of the 82 game regular season.

Seeding is determined as follows: sixteen teams (out of 32 in the NHL) make the playoffs. Standings are determined largely by point totals (in hockey a team gets 2 points for a win in regular, 1 point for a loss in overtime and zero points for a loss in regulation). Top three teams in each of the four divisions, and then each conference sends two wild card teams which can be from either of its two divisions. The #1 seed in the conference plays the #2 wild card team, the #2 seed plays the #1 wild card teams, and then each division’s #2 and #3 teams play each other. Home ice advantage goes to the higher point total. They play A-AA-BB-A-B-A, where A are games played in the higher seeded team’s arena, and B are games played in the other team’s arena. 

Best out of seven wins the round and advances.

So what’s happened so far?

Kind of a lot. Even before round 1 began these playoffs were weird, because for the first time in 17 years, the Penguins were not in them. They missed a wild card spot by one (1) point. They had the longest active post-season streak not just in hockey but in any major north american sport. So much for that. Also the Capitals didn’t make it, and it’s been awhile since we haven’t seen Ovechkin in the playoffs.

And then round 1 has been kind of chaotic. Three of the heavy hitters have already been eliminated: the Boston Bruins, who just had the best regular season literally in NHL history, were defeated by the lowest seeded Eastern team, the Florida Panthers, in game 7 in overtime. It was a stunning upset. In another upset, the two-year-old franchise Seattle Kraken defeated the defending Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche, in game 7 last night. The other big news is that the Toronto Maple Leafs are advancing to round two for the first since 2004, defeating the recently two-time cup winning Tampa Bay Lightning. There’s only one matchup undecided, the Rangers vs the Devils, and game 7 is tonight (May 1). Second round will begin tomorrow.

So that’s what’s going on so far! I’m low-key rooting for the Rangers because I love Chris Kreider but I also hate Patrick Kane so the struggle is real. Also a former much-beloved Columbus player, Oliver Bjorkstrand, now plays for the Kraken and is ON FIRE in the playoffs so I’m rooting for him too.

[sc0tters]

how has NOBODY told me that this is spelt the wrong way 😭

In your defence

Even after you pointed it out it took me a good 5 minutes to notice it, also two quotes from me while I was trying to guess it:

'Is panthers spelt wrong?? Maybe americans (im aware you arent american (I think) , its just cause the team is) spell it that way??

'This isn't spelt wrong'

going through this whole masterlist has made me realise who random my spelling errors are 😭

but yeah I’m not American, I just had to laugh at the fact that Florida is one of my favourite states that I’ve been too and I couldn’t seem to spell it properly…

[news4usonline]

‘Disruptive’ Jared Verse is Rams' first pick

HERMOSA BEACH - The Los Angeles Rams got it right last year. After doing some home purging of their roster, the Rams went the way of the NFL Draft to shore up their personnel. The Rams went with the youth movement.  The strategy paid off for head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead.  The Rams had 14 draft picks in 20223. All 14 of those draft picks wound up making the team. Several players, including defensive tackle Kobie Turner, offensive lineman Steve Avila, and wide receiver Puka Nacua produced stellar rookie debuts. 

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 04: Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Jared Verse (5) rushes on defense during a college football game against the Pittsburgh Panthers on November 04, 2023 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire) The challenge for the Rams has been magnified with the retirement of star defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Even at the quarterback position with starter Matthew Stafford and backup Jimmy Garoppolo, another signal-caller would add more youth to that quarterback room.  The Rams came into the 2024 draft coming off a year in which they made a surprising playoff run, losing out to NFC Conference runner-up Detroit Lions. And so with the 19th overall pick in the draft this year, the Rams made Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse their selection.  “It’s a dream come true,” Verse said duing a Zoom press call with reporters. “You work your whole life for this moment. I talked to the Rams throughout the process. Last week I got to meet with them again and do one last interview with them and it felt like the right thing. As you go on, as you go through the whole process and hear them call my name with that Los Angeles Rams attached to it. Woo! Dream come true.” The hole on the defensive line created by the retirement of Donald simply called for the Rams to fill that void immediately. In his two seasons playing for the Seminoles, Verse recorded 18 sacks and 29.5 tackles for losses.  At 6-foot-4 and 254 pounds, Verse has the size to play at the NFL level.  His ability to create havoc in the offensive backfield could be attributed to the motor he has thanks to his track background. At the NFL Combine, Verse posted a 40-yard time of 4.58 seconds.  “It helps your footwork a lot because you can't make false steps,” Verse said. “If you make false steps in track, they don't care how fast you are, but in high school you might be able to get away. When you face top level competition your form has to be perfect, especially on the later runs like the 100 to 200 to 400, your strides become very important.”  “That's why when a quarterback or a running back gets of out the pocket, I have faith in my speed and my form to be able to catch up to him and do something like that. Even if they may be faster, their form is not better than mine,” he added.  Verse is the first player to be selected by the Rams in the first round since 2016. That was the year the Rams made Jared Goff, now the starting quarterback of the Detroit Lions, the face of their franchise.  The Rams have moved on from the Goff experiment and have won a Super Bowl since then with Matthew Stafford manning the quarterback position.  "The way he plays the game, from the first snap to the last snap of the game, he wears people down." ?? Coach McVay on @JaredVerse1 pic.twitter.com/Dpmsi4TFxm— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 26, 2024 The Rams want to make another Super Bowl run with Stafford. That means surrounding the veteran quarterback with all the right pieces to enable that to take place. Filling in the gap left behind by Donald was of the highest priority for the Rams. According to the overview of his draft profile, Verse is described as being “twitchy and compact, with explosiveness featured at the point of attack.” Translation: Verse is a disruptor, which McVay likes.   “He's got great hands. He's violent,” McVay said. “He's got a versatile arsenal of moves that he can activate, but he plays the game the way that we want it to be played. We're looking for grown men on defense and I think you've seen a lot of the guys that we've added through free agency and then with the first pick tonight, he was one of the guys that we had targeted and feel really good coming away with him. He's going to make a big impact.” One of the things that has Snead impressed with Verse is his passion for the game.  “The cool thing about him is where he started (at) Albany, transferred to Florida State," Snead said. "Might have gone about where he went tonight last year, but he decided to stay back. I can tell you about him. He's just one of those guys that you want to just watch another game on because you can tell he cares about football. He has fun playing football and oh, by the way, he's pretty disruptive, violent. You think defense, the way he plays is next to the word in the dictionary.” Top Image Caption: CHESTNUT HILL, MA - SEPTEMBER 16: Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Jared Verse (5) in action during the college football game between Florida State Seminoles and Boston College Eagles on September 16, 2023, at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, MA. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire) Read the full article

[worldspotlightnews]

Can Matthew Tkachuk will the Panthers into the playoffs?

TORONTO — Matthew Tkachuk expected this season would be different. New team. New conference. New lifestyle, even. Tkachuk was ready for all of it when the Calgary Flames traded him to the Florida Panthers last July. But a photo finish to the Panthers’ playoff race? Tkachuk didn’t see that coming. And with the Panthers one point back of an Eastern Conference wild-card slot with six games to go,…