FORT LAUDERDALE — Brady Tkachuk will wear No. 8 with the Florida Panthers, abandoning the No. 7 he wore throughout his NHL career because teammate Dmitry Kulikov already holds that number, Florida Hockey Now reported.
The Panthers’ team store began selling Tkachuk No. 8 jerseys Monday morning, confirming the switch. The number carries a family connection: Brady’s father, Keith Tkachuk, wore No. 8 with the Atlanta Thrashers for part of one season, though he was best known for wearing No. 7 during much of his own NHL career.
Tkachuk becomes the 16th player to wear No. 8 in Panthers franchise history. Dallas Eakins was the first to don the number during the team’s second season. Notable Panthers to previously wear No. 8 include Val Bure, Peter Worrell and Kyle Okposo.
The jersey selection comes as the Panthers prepare for a busy offseason. The NHL Draft runs Friday through Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, though Florida holds no first-round picks and has six selections overall. NHL free agency opens July 1.
The Panthers’ development camp is scheduled for late June or early July at the IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, with rookie camp and a tournament set for late August or early September. Training camp opens in early to mid-September in Fort Lauderdale ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season, which begins in late September.