Matthew Tkachuk was perhaps the Calgary Flames’ most significant loss in recent history. The decision to leave the Flames had long been in the making, and as soon as Tkachuk started playing for the Florida Panthers, it seemed like he fit right in. In the three seasons the 27-year-old has been with the Panthers, he has already accumulated 254 points in 211 regular-season games. His energy and impact are undeniable.
Tkachuk is the force who has orchestrated the Panthers’ back-to-back playoff trips. It comes as no surprise that the 27-year-old is the cover star of EA Sports’ NHL 26. The decision sparked major discourse, with many believing that Alex Ovechkin was snubbed, given his monumental achievement of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s famed record. However, there could be another point of concern.
Could Matthew Tkachuk’s EA Sports Moment be Bad News for the Florida Panthers?
Yesterday, the official X account of EA Sports NHL posted a picture featuring Tkachuk holding the Stanley Cup in a celebratory moment. The caption perfectly sums up the 27-year-old’s menacing reputation on the ice: “He’s loud. He’s relentless. He’s a problem. Now he’s the face of the game.”
However, amid all the noise, an ardent hockey fan and analyst, @JFreshHockey, reposted the picture and raised a concern: Could Tkachuk’s cover feature have adverse consequences for the Panthers?
The social media user pointed out a somewhat disappointing trend. It has been observed that the season in which an NHL star becomes the cover athlete, his team fails to garner considerable success.
did you know that an NHL cover athlete’s team has only made it past round 2 once in the season he appeared on the cover (Kane, NHL 10) and past round 1 three times (Kane NHL 10, Tarasenko NHL 17, Makar NHL 24) https://t.co/X6VUN2n6uA
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 4, 2025
The teams have only made past round one thrice, and past round two, once. This may be a shock for a team chasing success like there is no tomorrow, has lifted two consecutive Stanley Cups, and is perhaps on its way to becoming a dynasty.
To support their claim, @JFreshHockey cited examples from the past. “made it past round 2 once in the season he appeared on the cover (Kane, NHL 10) and past round 1 three times (Kane NHL 10, Tarasenko NHL 17, Makar NHL 24)”.
The Panthers are enjoying a peak of success at the moment. Bill Zito pulled off an incredible feat by re-signing Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Sam Bennett. Management will do everything to retain the team’s winning core.
As another social media user rightly pointed out, the teams that lost when their players were featured on the cover did not have a GM like the Panthers do “Did any of those teams have bill zito as their gm tho”.
For now, it seems it will take more than a cover feature to destabilize the Panthers.
