Tkachuk Considers Surgery for Next Season
Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk has not yet made a definitive decision on whether to undergo surgery before the start of the 2025-26 season. The player admitted that, if needed, he could miss a significant part of the season. Tkachuk, 27, revealed that he suffered a groin injury and a sports hernia while playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Although he missed the last 25 games of the NHL regular season, he returned for the first game of the Panthers’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In the playoffs, Tkachuk proved his worth with 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) in 23 games, including seven points in the final against Edmonton, leading the Panthers to their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.Tkachuk mentioned that the decision to undergo surgery was “50/50”, adding that the time off in the offseason would give him time to decide. The player stated that he hopes to “get on the ice as soon as possible”. If he opts for surgery, he is likely to miss several months of action. Tkachuk’s contract and its impact on the salary cap could be placed on long-term injured reserve during his recovery. The offseason has been notable for Tkachuk, who appears on the cover of EA Sports’ “NHL 26” and in the deluxe edition of the game alongside his brother Brady and his father Keith. He and Brady were among the first six players named to the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey roster for the Winter Games in Italy next year. In addition, Matthew Tkachuk married Ellie Connell in July. All this happened after an epic, multi-day Stanley Cup celebration by the Panthers in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, which included spontaneous appearances at bars, clubs, and beaches, as well as a championship parade. The Panthers’ chances of securing a third consecutive Stanley Cup received a boost this summer when general manager Bill Zito managed to re-sign three veteran star free agents: Sam Bennett (8 years, $64 million), Aaron Ekblad (8 years, $48 million), and Brad Marchand (6 years, $31.5 million). Tkachuk expressed that he wasn’t surprised that the three players wanted to stay with the Panthers, but he was astonished that Zito found a way to make the money work under the salary cap.We didn’t have any hope at first that he would survive the first round.
Paul Maurice
Tkachuk expressed confidence that Ekblad would return, as he has been a Panther since being drafted by Florida in 2014. He was a bit less certain about Bennett and especially Marchand, who had the opportunity to get a lucrative contract in free agency. According to Tkachuk, the team’s unity and success have been key to keeping the players in Florida.I thought, because of the way the money was tied up, you didn’t know if it would be possible, and somehow it was. Everyone was well taken care of and Bill did a great job making sure it could happen. I think everyone was rewarded very well, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to, hopefully, repeat it with them this year.
Matthew Tkachuk
