Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers’ Superstar Nearing a Return to the Lineup
Matthew Tkachuk appears to be inching towards his 2025-26 season debut.
The Florida Panthers appear to be getting good news as one of their two best players was on the ice Sunday. Matthew Tkachuk could be nearing a return to NHL action, although a timeline on when he might be back remains unknown.
Tkachuk participated in a team practice while wearing a yellow non-contact jersey. It’s another step forward in his recovery from a long-term injury that some worried might keep him out most of the 2025-26 season. Team reporter Katie Engleson shared some footage of the superstar winger in action on X (formerly Twitter).
Tkachuk has yet to play this season after undergoing surgery this summer to repair a sports hernia and a torn adductor muscle—injuries that sidelined him for part of last regular season, before he battled through them in the playoffs en route to winning a second consecutive Stanley Cup.
Injuries are nothing new for Tkachuk. He is coming off an injury-riddled 2024-25 regular season, where he tallied 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in just 52 games. He’s been more than open about his journey this season, talking about his recovery on his new podcast with brother Brady. The hope is that Matthew will be ready before the season ends and in time to join Team USA at the Olympics.
He is in year four of the eight-year, $76 million extension he signed with the Panthers upon being traded from Calgary in the summer of 2022.
When Could Matthew Tkachuk Return?
No return date has been set in stone, but speculation has been suggesting that Tkachuk is pushing for a season debut in next Friday’s Winter Classic against the New York Rangers. That would add a huge storyline to that game.
With Florida currently clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Panthers could use the boost. They are also waiting on an injury update on Captain Aleksander Barkov, who has not played this season due to a torn ACL suffered in training camp.
A healthy Tkachuk—and possibly Barkov—is a scary proposition for the rest of the NHL, and the thought of a three-peat, which nobody should have ruled out to begin with, suddenly feels very real.
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