Matthew Tkachuk Gets First Bobblehead, Panthers Host Red Wings

SUNRISE — Matthew Tkachuk has never had the bobblehead treatment. Before now, of course.

The Florida Panthers will give away mini versions of their star forward — complete with dangling mouthpiece — tonight when they play host to the Detroit Red Wings.

And, due to the postponement of tonight’s game between Chicago and Buffalo, the game will now be nationally televised on TNT.

The local Bally Sports Florida broadcast will be seen in the Panthers’ market.

“I just saw it for the first time recently, this is my first bobblehead, and that’s pretty cool,” Tkachuk said following Wednesday’s morning skate. “You grow up and you see them around, they are pretty fun to play around with and it is cool that I am on one now.”

This is the third of three mini-bobbleheads handed out this season with renditions of captain Sasha Barkov and defenseman Aaron Ekblad already given away.

Florida will be without Barkov tonight for precautionary reasons due to a lower-body injury.

As for the bobblehead, Tkachuk mentioned that he needed to “steal” some to hand out to family and friends before later revealing that the team will be giving him a case of them to do with what he pleases.

“I am getting a box delivered,” Tkachuk said, “so I am pretty happy about that.”

NEWS y NOTES

With Barkov out, Anton Lundell will get a chance to center the top line and try and get his offensive game going.

Lundell has three assists in his past 16 games and just one in seven games this month.

Kevin Stenlund will move up to center the third line with Steven Lorentz getting in for the first time since Dec. 21.

— Detroit will be without Patrick Kane tonight.

— Sam Reinhart will come in trying to keep his hot streak going.

Reinhart became the first NHL player to score a special-teams goal in seven straight games Monday against Anaheim.

He is also the first player in over 100 years to score a goal in seven straight games to open a calendar year.

Montreal’s Newsy Lalonde kicked off 1920 with goals in eight straight games.

— Speaking of scoring, Tkachuk has at least a point in nine straight games (7-11, 18).

— Tonight’s starting goalies: Sergei Bobrovsky against old friend Alex Lyon.

Bobrovsky is 25-6-1 against Detroit and made 22 saves in a 2-0 win in November.

Florida has won 10 straight against the Wings.

— On Wednesday afternoon, Florida recalled Rasmus Asplund from AHL Charlotte.

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ON DECK

DETROIT RED WINGS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, TNT/ESPN+, HBO Max
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
• Local Odds — Panthers Favored: Money Line (-210); Puck line (-1.5, +110); Over/Under 6.5 (-125/+100)
• Last Season: Florida won 3-0
• This Season (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Detroit: Panthers 2, Wings 0 (Nov. 2); March 2. At Florida: Wednesday; March 30
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 37-19-6, 5 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Friday vs. Minnesota Wild, 7 p.m.

PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS (27-12-2) LINES

17 Evan Rodrigues // 15 Anton Lundell // 13 Sam Reinhart

23 Carter Verhaeghe // 9 Sam Bennett // 19 Matthew Tkachuk

27 Eetu Luostarinen // 82 Kevin Stenlund  // 94 Ryan Lomberg

67 Will Lockwood// 18 Steven Lorentz // 12 Jonah Gadjovich

42 Gus Forsling // 5 Aaron Ekblad

77 Niko Mikkola // 62 Brandon Montour

7 Dmitry Kulikov // 91 Oliver Ekman-Larsson

72 Sergei Bobrovsky

41 Anthony Stolarz

Injured: Nick Cousins (concussion), Sasha Barkov (lower body)

Scratched: Josh Mahura, Rasmus Asplund

PROJECTED DETROIT RED WINGS (22-16-5) LINES

57 David Perron // 71 Dylan Larkin // 23 Lucas Raymond

93 Alex DeBrincat // 37 J.T. Compher // 17 Daniel Sprong

27 Michael Rasmussen // 18 Andrew Copp // 36 Christian Fischer

14 Robby Fabbri // 90 Joe Veleno // 24 Klim Kostin

41 Shayne Gostisbehere // 53 Moritz Seider

8 Ben Chiarot // 46 Jeff Petry

2 Olli Maatta // 3 Justin Holl

34 Alex Lyon

47 James Reimer

Scratched: Brogan Rafferty

Injured: Patrick Kane (lower body), Ville Husso (lower body), Jake Walman (illness)

Detroit Red Wings lines courtesy NHL.com