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.’

The Florida Panthers know it is going to be hard to replace Matthew Tkachuk. Players like him are, in more ways than one, irreplaceable. “There’s no one else in the world like Matthew,’’ captain Sasha Barkov said.

Dealing with a lower-body injury, Tkachuk has been ailing since the second game of the 4 Nations Face-Off when he missed the final 12:36 of a 3-1 win for Team USA over Canada.