Matthew Tkachuk participated in practice with the Florida Panthers on Saturday, hinting at a possible return for the opening game of the playoffs. The reigning Stanley Cup champions are set to begin their first-round matchup against Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The Panthers aren’t expecting to make a decision regarding Tkachuk’s availability until Monday at the earliest.
“He looked like himself, he seemed fine,” remarked Panthers coach Paul Maurice. “However, today’s practice wasn’t intensive or long enough to make a judgement for game readiness.”
The team will not practice on Sunday, but the medical staff will assess how Tkachuk is feeling during the off day. Maurice mentioned plans for the team to regroup on ice on Monday before departing for Tampa after practice.
Saturday marked a significant occasion as it was the first time all season that every player on Florida’s roster participated in practice together. “Better late than never,” Maurice added cheerily.
Tkachuk has been sidelined since February 8, following the team’s last game before the 4 Nations Face-off event, representing the United States. During that event, he sustained a lower-body injury in the second game and attempted to play against Canada in the final but was unable to participate in the third period or overtime.
Afterwards, Tkachuk was placed on long-term injured reserve, causing him to miss Florida’s final 25 regular-season games. Despite his absence, he concluded the season with 22 goals, 35 assists, and 57 points, placing him third on the team in all three categories. Additionally, Tkachuk was second on the team in power-play goals, having scored 11 times.
Once Tkachuk does return to the lineup, it will be his initial appearance alongside new teammate Brad Marchand. The Panthers brought Marchand on board following a trade with Boston at the trade deadline.
“He’s a fierce competitor and he’s determined to win,” Marchand commented. “You can tell by the way he speaks and his established reputation. Tkachuk is a highly competitive player, exceptionally talented, and one of the league’s top threats around the net. He’s definitely someone to watch on the ice.”