The Panthers captain has become part of the South Florida landscape over his 12 seasons. He’s also helped turn a floundering franchise into a champion.

Captain Aleksander Barkov scored both Panthers’ goals on Monday’s victory against the Lightning, extending the team’s win streak to four games.

The Florida Panthers are placing Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve due to a groin injury he suffered in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the team announced Sunday. Tkachuk, 27, has sat out the Panthers' past four games since his injury. Now placed on the LTIR, Tkachuk will be out for a significant period of time.

Everybody gets their depth tested over the course of the year. Usually, if you’ve handled it right, you find out some really good things.’