Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk told ESPN on Aug. 8 that he hasn’t decided whether to have offseason surgery, but he could miss the first two to three months of the 2025-26 season if he does.
Tkachuk was originally hurt at the 4 Nations Face-Off and missed the rest of the regular season, then helped the Panthers win a second consecutive Stanley Cup title. Afterward, it was announced that he had been playing through a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia. He played all 23 playoff games and scored 23 points.
‘If I do get the surgery, it’ll definitely be the first two or maybe three months if that’s the case. But it’s still undecided at this point,’ he told ESPN.
That timeframe means he would be available for the Winter Olympics in February. He and brother Brady were among the first six players named to Team USA.
But it would leave the Panthers short early on. However, they’re deep with Brad Marchand re-signed and third-year player Mackie Samoskevich able to assume a bigger role. The Panthers would be able to put Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve, which would help their salary cap numbers.
This offseason has been an eventful one for Matthew Tkachuk. He spent his day with the Stanley Cup in the St. Louis area. He also was named the cover athlete for EA Sports’ NHL 26. He, Brady and their father Keith are featured on the deluxe edition of the video game.