After the crushing blow of losing the Stanley Cup to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, the Florida Panthers were dealt a double whammy when they received the injury update on star forward Matthew Tkachuk.

The Golden Knights defeated the Panthers in five games, ending it with a 9-3 domination. It was certainly not the end the underdogs were looking for, after coming so far in the playoffs as the last seed.

Their chances to stave off elimination in Game 5 were dealt a serious setback when the injury news broke before the game that Tkachuk would be unable to go. After the series ended, it became clear just how serious the injury was.

The Panthers' superstar was diagnosed with a fractured sternum after getting clobbered in Game 3, yet still played through it in the fourth game. Tkachuk reportedly had to have his brother Brady help him out of bed to get ready for pregame, according to ESPN's John Buccigross.

It is commonplace in the NHL not to reveal details of injuries to players, especially in the playoffs. They want to keep their opponents in the dark and figure out if their stars can play through it in a big game. In this scenario, Tkachuk's injury was much more serious than initially thought, and he had little to no chance of suiting up in Las Vegas.

Tkachuk led all players in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 24 points on 11 goals and 13 assists. He was indubitably the most valuable component of the Panthers run, and it was unfortunate to have the heart and soul miss the final game.

The Panthers will use the offseason to heal up their talent, after defenseman Aaron Ekblad played through a similar fracture since the first round. With the toughness and synergy they exhibited through 20 playoff games, they certainly have the chops to make another run at the Cup in 2024.