Recovery takes unforeseen turn for Matthew Tkachuk
The star forward has been out for weeks and the postseason is just around the corner. And now this! Full details down below:
Matthew Tkachuk has been out since mid-February after sustaining a lower-body injury while playing for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Florida Panthers miss him dearly.
While he has been skating by himself and accompanied the team on their four-game road trip, Tkachuk is “still a ways away” from returning according to head coach Paul Maurice.
The hope in Florida remains that Tkachuk will return for the playoffs however on Wednesday, Elliotte Friedman dropped in his 32 Thoughts column on Sportsnet that the star forward has been shopping specialists around to get help with his injury.
“ Tkachuk — who has skated — sought out several different opinions, including overseas.”
The Panthers’ final regular season game is on April 15 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and no one expects Tkachuk to suit up for that game. With Friedman’s latest update, fans now wonder when in the playoffs Tkachuk should be expected to make his return.
The star winger has put up 22 goals and 57 points in 52 games this season, his third with the Panthers. Florida is looking to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in back to back seasons.
If Tkachuk is seeking more opinions on his injury, it could mean that he needs more time and only the Panthers can provide him that by winning the first-round series…
Or else Tkachuk will not return for the playoffs this spring…
