SUNRISE, Fla. – No one is working harder than Matthew Tkahcuk right now.
Following a first-period workout during Sunday’s matchup with the Colorado Avalanche at Amerant Bank Arena, the Florida Panthers injured star met with the media to provide an update on his status.
Yet to suit up this season, the veteran forward been slowly and steadily ramping up his rehab after undergoing surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia in August.
“Every box that has had to be checked so far has been,” Tkachuk said. “I guess the last one before playing is taking off the no-contact jersey. We’ll have another few skates, a couple calls and figure it out from there. We’re feeling pretty good right now.”
Taking a big step forward, Tkachuk has been practicing with the Panthers since Dec. 28.
“You kind of forget what it’s like to have stick on puck, or a body in the way, or the quick 2-on-1,” Tkachuk said. “Starting to mix in a little bit of pushing, but that’s more me. Once guys are able to bump into me and hit me, that’ll feel more real.”
Suffering his injury while suiting up for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, Tkachuk missed the final 25 games of last year’s regular season before returning to action in the playoffs and helping the Panthers win their second straight Stanley Cup.
Despite not being 100 percent, he racked up 23 points (8G, 15A) in 23 playoff games.
Putting off surgery back then, he fully believed the Panthers could win it all again.
“Just a lot of help with the doctors and the trainers and linemates that had to a lot of the dirty work for me,” Tkachuk said of how he was able to power through his injury during last year’s playoffs. “It was a full-team effort. I would’ve got the surgery last year in February or March if I didn’t think that we had a chance. I wouldn’t change it for the world. We’re lucky to have our team’s name on the Cup one more time. It was all worth it.”
Facing adversity in the quest for a threepeat, Tkachuk isn’t the only injured Panther.
For much of the season, the back-to-back champions have been without captain Aleksander Barkov (knee), forwards Tomas Nosek (knee), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body) and Cole Schwindt (broken arm), and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder).
Rising to the challenge, the Panthers have still managed to go 21-16-3.
With reinforcements eventually coming, all they need to do is stay in the fight.
In Tkachuk’s mind, they’ve already done more than that so far.
“It’s hard to do with so many guys out of the lineup,” he said. “The depth has been tested, and they’ve passed the test. What they’ve been able to do has been very impressive. There’s been some incredible performances from guys. It takes everybody, but there’s definitely some guys that have really, really stepped up. Everybody has talked about and seen our depth the last couple runs, and we needed it at the start of the year.”
Even when he’s not competing, Tkachuk’s star power is evident.
Front and center at the 2026 NHL Winter Classic on Friday, Tkachuk, along with Barkov, led the team’s caravan of Ferraris to loanDepot Park.
Sporting an outfit straight out of Miami Vice, the duo then later made a surprise appearance during the first intermission -- along with their good friend the Stanley Cup -- joining popular musician Role Model for a performance of his hit song “Sally, When the Wine Runs out.”
“It was a spectacle,” Tkachuk said. “It was so cool to be a part of. Hopefully we keep winning some more Stanly Cups so we can be a part of more Winter Classics. It was so incredible to be the hosts and to show off South Florida. I had a great time.”
If all goes well, more great times are ahead.
Set to embark on his first road trip with his teammates since last year’s playoffs, Tkachuk said he’ll be tagging along during the Panthers’ upcoming six-game trip, which kicks off on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.
While there’s no guarantee he’ll play on the trip, he feels that he's closer than ever to being back in the lineup.
“If it were to happen, it would probably be toward the end of it just because I’m still in the non-contact jersey,” Tkachuk said. “I don’t even have a target right now if that’s it or not. It’s just going to be nice on the road, get in the routine and figure it out from there. Hopefully it’s not too much longer before you see me out there with the boys.”
