Matthew Tkachuk’s adjustment to Florida Panthers off to a great start

He already hates the Tampa Bay Lightning.

If anything is indicative of how well winger Matthew Tkachuk has adjusted to the Florida Panthers since the monster trade was swung last week, it’s that he already gets the rivalry with the Lightning, who have been to the mountaintop with two Stanley Cup titles in the past three years.

While playing for the Calgary Flames the past six years, Tkachuk’s feelings of rancor were directed toward the Edmonton Oilers.

But now?

“I still hate Edmonton, but I hate Tampa more,” said Tkachuk, playing music directly into the ears of Panthers fans. “They are the team to beat (in the Eastern Conference). We have to go through them at some point.”

Tkachuk admits he didn’t have much playoff success in his six seasons with Calgary. During that span, the Flames missed the playoffs twice, and they won just two out of six series. In fact, they never got past the second round.

The Panthers’ playoff history is even more troubled. This year, they made the second round of the playoffs, where they got swept by those hated Lightning, who allowed the Panthers to score a total of just three goals in four games.

Prior to that, the Panthers hadn’t won a playoff series since making the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996.

However, Tkachuk sees a connection there between his struggles in Calgary and what his new teammates have endured for years with the Panthers.

Call it shared pain.

“I have that bitter taste in my mouth,” Tkachuk said of Calgary’s 4-1 lost to Edmonton in last season’s second-round, Western Conference playoff series. “I think (that bitter taste) is a really good thing and part of the fit (with the Panthers).

“I have that hunger to win, and I know everyone (here) does, too.”

Tkachuk said his first priority is making the playoffs. Entry into the postseason cannot just be assumed.

After that, he said the Panthers have all the ingredients, including “a great coach” in newly-hired Paul Maurice; “great goaltending” in Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight; and “unbelievable” ownership that “spends to the (salary) cap.”

Panthers general manager Bill Zito described Tkachuk as a “unicorn.”

In other words, Tkachuk is a rare sight in the NHL – a player rough enough to be a an agitator but skilled enough to score 42 goals and dish 62 assists last season.

Thirty of his goals were scored at even strength and 12 on the power play.

Those 42 goals and 30 even-strength tallies would have led the Panthers this past season. Jonathan Huberdeau, the key player Calgary got in the Tkachuk trade, scored 30 overall goals and had 22 at even strength.

Huberdeau, though, led the NHL with 85 assists.

Now it remains to be seen if Tkachuk – who shoots first and asks questions later – is a better fit for the Panthers, perhaps on the top line with center Aleksander Barkov (39 goals, 49 assists).

“Those are hard decisions you get paid to make (as a general manager),” Zito said. “It’s not something you take lightly at all.

“But we’re getting a young player (Tkachuk at age 24) entering his prime. You can expect more from him.”

Tkachuk wouldn’t disagree, and he is already bringing up the topic of the playoffs.

“Once we get there, take each series as it comes,” Tkachuk said. “Play hard. Play in their face …”

Tkachuk, who signed an eight-year, $76-million contract last week, said there was a reason why he put the Panthers on the top of his trade wish list.

“It’s about winning – not just now but in the future,” Tkachuk said. “If I keep hearing about the past (playoff failures), I’m going to lose my mind.

“There’s no excuse why this can’t work. I wanted to be here. This wasn’t just me getting traded and me having no say.

“I chose to be here. I really want this to work, and I’m excited for the possibility of winning in South Florida.”