The Florida Panthers continue to battle and remain in the Eastern Conference Playoff race without several key players, including captain Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuk remains out of the lineup after having surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia in August 2025, after sustaining those injuries in February 2025, right around the time Four Nations occurred.
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Speaking during the first intermission of the Panthers game against the Colorado Avalanche, Tkachuk says he remains on track to return to the lineup once he sheds his non-contact jersey in practice. When he ultimately returns to the lineup is not his call, but he has a date in mind.
“I’ve got, like, a target-ish, it’s always been kind of where we’re at right now, like we’re on track,” Tkachuk said. “So every box that has had it been checked so far has been and I guess the last one before playing is taking off the No Contact jersey, which we’ll have another few skates here, and a couple calls and figure it out from there. But we’re feeling pretty good right now.”
As previously mentioned, Tkachuk got hurt during the tournament representing Team USA. It was a memorable night in Montreal, QC, Canada, with three fights in nine seconds. However, shortly after his return, Tkachuk could not finish that game and was very limited in the Gold Medal game. Team USA lost in overtime to Canada.
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Tkachuk missed the rest of the regular season for the Florida Panthers before returning to the lineup for Game 1 of Round 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, if the Panthers did not have a chance to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions, Tkachuk probably would have gotten surgery right away.
“I mean, I would have gotten the surgery last year, and, you know, February or March, or whatever, if I didn’t think we had a chance. I guess it’s kind of what I signed up for by making the decision last late February or early March, by riding it out and then ultimately knowing. I’m sure I lied/fibbed to you guys a few times in the spring, saying I’m feeling good and probably won’t need surgery, but I knew in the back of my mind that it was ultimately going to have to happen. So I wouldn’t change it for the world, lucky to have our team’s name on the cup one more time. So it was, it was all worth it.”
Tkachuk started practicing with the team in a non-contact jersey just after Christmas and participated in the team’s practice ahead of the January 2nd Winter Classic, in which the Panthers lost 5-1 to the New York Rangers. While Tkachuk was able to take part in the festivities and soak up the moments of the event, he wanted to be out there with his teammates.
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There was not going to be any drama from Paul Maurice during the Winter Classic for a possible Tkachuk return. However, the Panthers are heading on a six-game road trip once this homestand wraps up, and there is a chance he could return.
“Whether I’m playing on this six-game road trip, I mean, if it were to happen, probably be towards the end of it, just because I’m still in the non-contact jersey, but I don’t even have a target right now, if that’s it or not,” Tkachuk added. “So it’s just gonna be nice to be on the road, getting the routine and figuring it out from there. But hopefully it’s not too much longer before you’re seeing me back out through the boys.”
His preseason games and tune for the Olympics for Team USA will be the regular-season games he gets into right before the break. Again, Matthew Tkachuk is following doctors’ orders, even though his patient has been tested, knowing how much he wants to be out there.
As Tkachuk ramps up the intensity in practice and gets the all-clear from the doctors, the Panthers will become a tougher team to play against as they march toward a three-peat.
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