Matthew Tkachuk Gets First Bobblehead, Panthers Host Red Wings

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.

“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.”