Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk missed 30 games of the 2024-25 regular-season after suffering a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off — and he will be absent for around the same amount of time this year.
Tkachuk underwent surgery over the summer and will be out until at least December, general manager Bill Zito told reporters, including George Richards of Florida Hockey Now.
“Don’t hold me to that,” Zito said on Wednesday. “My internet medical degree.”
Tkachuk wasn't at 100 percent in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but still managed to amass 23 points in 23 games and help the Panthers win their second consecutive title. That was after the 27-year-old managed 22 goals and 57 points in 52 regular-season games.
It makes sense that the star power forward take all the time he need to fully recover, as suiting up for the beginning of the regular-season is not nearly as important as being at full strength next April as the Cats go for the three-peat.
“I wouldn't be here without the trainers and the doctors and those people, and that's what makes this Cup more special for me is how hard it was just to be out there and to get to the point of playing,” Tkachuk said shortly after Florida won it all. “I owe those guys. This Cup is because of them for me, and I'm so lucky.”
The former No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft has emerged into one of the league's best power forwards, scoring 636 points in 642 regular-season games split between the Calgary Flames and Panthers, and 84 points (32 goals, 52 assists) in 94 playoff games.
Bill Guerin expects Matthew Tkachuk to play in Olympics
Tkachuk was originally injured while representing the United States at the 4 Nations, and USA general manager Bill Guerin fully expects him to be ready for the Winter Olympics in Italy next February.
“Planning and expecting (to have him),” Guerin said at the United States Men's Olympic Orientation Camp on August 27, per NHL.com. “I mean, that's just what I have to do. And if something changes, then we'll change it, but he's on and he's going to be on until he can't.”
Although Tkachuk wasn't one of the 44 players to attend USA's camp, he was one of the first skaters named to the preliminary roster on June 16.
“He called me and just kind of told me what was going on,” Guerin continued, per NHL.com. “It wouldn't be great for him get on a plane and fly right now. He didn't have to be here. He was upbeat. He's always upbeat.”
If Tkachuk's timeline holds true, he should be back and healthy by the time the highly-anticipated Olympic Games take place. It's the first time NHL players will represent their countries since 2014.
Along with Tkachuk, Zito also said on Wednesday that forward Tomas Nosek has a “long-term injury” that will also cost him months of the 2025-26 season. He sustained a knee injury during offseason training.
Without Tkachuk and Nosek for at least the first few months, the door is open for players like Jesper Boqvist, Luke Kunin and Tyler Motte to snag roster spots out of training camp.
