"Devastating" update on Matthew Tkachuk: Per NHL insider
Photo credit: Sam Navarro
NHL Insider David Pagnotta issued a devastating update on former Stanley Cup champion and Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.
According to a report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers may have to consider surgery as an option to deal with a torn abductor muscle and a sports hernia he'd suffered in February.
Now, it seems like it is the inevitable option, and it will keep him out of the lineup until January.
With surgery becoming a necessity, it seems like he'll be missing several months of the NHL season.
"If I do get the surgery, it'll definitely be the first two or maybe three months if that's the case," said Tkachuk. "But it's still undecided at this point."
Matthew Tkachuk's Asbence in Florida
And now, with this news, GM Bill Zito will have to find a way to fill the gaps in the lineup left by the forward's absence.
Once GM Bill Zito traded for the forward, the Florida Panthers found a way to win two Stanley Cup championships with Tkachuk in the lineup.
As it stands now, the Panthers have -$4.5 million in cap space, and that is with the player on LTIR.
Could this be a turning point for the Panthers, who have been a lock for the NHL's newest dynasty?
The Panthers will miss the forward's gritty, two-way presence in the lineup. Last season, he played 52 games in the NHL and scored 57 points (22-35).
His $9.5 million cap hit is off the books for now, and so is his impact in the lineup as we may never see him hit the ice until January 2026.
Previously on HawksInsider
