Matthew Tkachuk Working Toward Game 1 Return with Panthers

Matthew Tkachuk has yet to go through a full practice with the Florida Panthers since he was hurt in February, but he has been making the rounds saying he is gearing up for Game 1 of the playoffs.

The Panthers are expected to open their first-round series Sunday against the host Tampa Bay Lightning.

On Wednesday, speaking on the Up And Adams Show, Tkachuk told Kay Adams that he has missed playing with the Panthers — and that his time on the shelf is about over.

The Panthers will have a full practice in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday morning; Tkachuk is expected to join the Panthers for that.

Coach Paul Maurice has said that Tkachuk has to get in a couple of practices before he would be cleared to play.

The Panthers are expected to have hard practices Thursday and Friday, with the intensity lighter Saturday before the short flight to Tampa.

“It has been very good the last couple of days on the ice,” Tkachuk told Adams on Wednesday. “I have only been on the ice a couple of days for legit skates. I am just trying to peak sometime around Game 1. Looking forward to it.”

Tkachuk has been on long-term injured reserve since March after he sustained a groin injury at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off playing for Team USA.

After being hurt in a game against Canada, Tkachuk missed the next game against Sweden, but was in the lineup for the championship game.

Tkachuk was limited to 6:47 in that game, did not play in the third period or overtime, and has not played since.

He has been mostly skating on his own although he joined the team for the morning skate in Montreal.

“This week is a really important week for him,” Maurice told Joe Rose on WQAM on Monday morning. “He’s not that far off. If he’s not [ready for Game 1], he’s very, very close. We’re not missing this by two weeks.”

“It might be a day or two to get a full push. What will happen is, he’ll amp up to full skates and hard skates toward the middle to end of this week. As he goes through those, how quick he recovers the next day will be the key thing.

“f he comes in and there’s no soreness the next day, then he’s right and he’ll be ready to go. If he’s got a little residual soreness, we may have to hold another day or two. He’s not that far off.”

Speaking to Bleacher Report, Tkachuk said he was fired up to see the Panthers make some moves before the NHL Trade Deadline.

Helped by having Tkachuk’s $9.5 million salary off the cap due to LTIR, the Panthers were able to add Seth Jones, Nico Sturm, Vitek Vanecek, and Brad Marchand.

“When you trade for new guys like that, and studs like that, it just shows that the team and organization is committed to winning, and they want to win, and they believe in you to win,” Tkachuk told BR.

“Gives us a lot of confidence as well, to know they believe in us.”

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND: GAME 1

FLORIDA PANTHERS at TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING 

• When: TBA (Likely on Sunday)
• Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• National TV: ESPN or TNT/truTV
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+ or MAX
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Series Schedule: TBA
• Season Series (Tied 2-2) — At Tampa Bay: Panthers 4, Lightning 2 (Dec. 22); Tuesday. At Florida: Lightning 4, Panthers 0 (Dec. 23); Panthers 2, Lightning 1 (March 3).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 79-53-19, 10 ties
• All-Time Postgame Series: Tampa Bay Leads 2-1 (won 2021 first-round, 2022 ECS); Florida d. Lightning 4-1 in 2024 first-round.

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