FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk returned to the ice with Florida Panthers he appeared in practice Sunday for the first time this season and more than four months after he had surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
Tkachuk hasn't played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, when the Panthers won their second straight title and returned to the top of the standings. Edmonton Oilers. All summer he tried to rehabilitate himself, but in the end he decided that he needed surgery.
“He looks amazing,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “It's good to see him back there. He brought us some energy today, that's for sure.”
Tkachuk was wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, indicating he is not yet ready for game action. Florida hosts Washington on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday before hosting the home team for the NHL Winter Classic. Miami Marlins' stadium against New York Rangers on Friday.
The Panthers plan to practice at the stadium on Thursday, but there is no guarantee Tkachuk will play on Friday.
“He's going to have to go through a number of things. The question is whether he has enough time,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “He may be healthy enough or close to playing, but we don't know it… As much as we love this show and we'd love for him to be a part of it – it would be great for the game to see him – the Florida Panthers need him healthy for the rest of the year.”
After the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup in June, Tkachuk said he was injured while playing for Team USA in the Four Nations in February. He missed the final 25 games of the regular season but returned for Game 1 of the Panthers' first-round series against the Panthers. Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tkachuk scored 23 points (eight goals and 15 assists) in 23 playoff games, including seven points in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers have been without many key players all season, including their captain. Alexander Barkov. They entered Sunday in second and final place in the Eastern Conference, just five points off the Atlantic Division lead.
Florida went through this season with the expectation that Tkachuk would return to the December schedule. He said he wants to play in the Winter Classic, the Panthers' first outdoor game, and for Team USA at the Cortina Olympics in Milan in February.
“We will enjoy the upskilling,” Maurice said. “He's a great player. But it's more of a personality thing. He chirps on the ice, right? He gives it to the guys. They laugh. He brings a little joy to everyone. He's funny on the bench. He has an incredible emotional IQ in terms of playing hockey. When nothing's supposed to happen, he doesn't do anything. When something's supposed to happen, he finds the right way.”
