Matthew Tkachuk Says Injury ‘Trending Well' Ahead Of 2025 NHL Playoffs
Matthew Tkachuk lifts the Stanley Cup on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce ...)
When last seen publicly, Matthew Tkachuk was making the media rounds following the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off in February, appearing on 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon' and Jason and Travis Kelce's popular 'New Heights' podcast with his brother Brady.
But the Stanley Cup-winning left winger for the Florida Panthers hasn't dressed for a game since suiting up for Team USA at the 4 Nations Tournament, when he left the championship game midway through the second period with an apparent groin injury.
The Panthers are getting ready to defend their title when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin this weekend, and Tkachuk is hopeful that he'll be back on the ice with his teammates before long.
'It's been trending well,' Tkachuk said Monday. 'Recovery's never easy, but worth it in the end. So hopefully I can be back soon.'
At the 4 Nations tournament, the Tkachuk brothers galvanized the sports and entertainment world far beyond the usual hockey spectrum. They were both combatants in the notorious three fights in nine seconds that kicked off the round-robin matchup between Team USA and their arch-rivals from Canada in Montreal.
'You don't realize it at the time," he said. 'But it kind of changes your life in a weird way. It's all people talked about — non-hockey people, and people across the country.'
From that white-hot spotlight, Tkachuk's life shifted behind closed doors as he worked to get healthy in time for playoffs.
'It's brutal going from such a high to such a low,' he said. 'Long days and grueling days, so I'm happy to be towards the end of that right now. Just trying to be a positive cheerleader for the guys. You want to be on the bench or be on the ice, battling with them. I'll be in the room, strategizing, pumping them up. I watch all the games and give them as much feedback as I can.'
While most of the key players from the Panthers' 2024 championship run have returned, Florida's roster has seen some changes. Ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, the Panthers added defenseman Seth Jones, then shocked the hockey world by acquiring longtime nemesis and former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand.
'Whenever you bring in guys like Brad and them, you see the belief that the organization's put in, that they believe in us,' Tkachuk said. 'Whenever you trade for guys of their caliber, the team believes that you have a chance to do it again. That gives us a ton of confidence.'
This spring, Tkachuk and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar are also the faces of the 'Check In To Win' sweepstakes at Great Clips, the official hair salon of the NHL and the NHL Players' Association.
From now through May 19, fans who download the Great Clips app and check in will be entered for a chance to see epic on-ice checks live from the stands at the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Other prizes include gift cards for Great Clips and NHLShop.com.
'I love to work with them,' Tkachuk said. 'I love the way my hair looks, even though I'll be rockin' a new cut for playoffs, most likely, like I do every year. That's right around the corner, so looking forward to my Great Clips playoff cut from them.'
In 2024, the Great Clips playoff cut took Tkachuk all the way to a Stanley Cup — a reality that topped even his loftiest childhood dreams.
'Your whole life flashes right in front of you,' he said. "You realize the work that you put in, and some of the the lows that you have to go through before winning. I think all the lows ultimately paid off at the end and you just feel this weight lifted off you, your goal and your dream coming true. The second that buzzer goes off, it's like, 'We did it!' It's just the most amazing feeling ever. It wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be. It was 10 times better. So hopefully we can do it again.'
For the third time in the last five years, Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers will begin their 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a first-round date against their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Games will kick off Saturday, April 19, with exact schedule and TV details to be announced.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
32 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Carolina Hurricanes re-sign Eric Robinson for 4 years after his most productive NHL season
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have re-signed depth forward Eric Robinson to a four-year contract worth $6.8 million. General manager Eric Tulsky announced the extension Friday. Robinson will count $1.7 million against the salary cap through the 2028-29 NHL season. The Bellmawr, New Jersey, native set career highs with 14 goals, 18 assists and 32 points this past season after joining the Hurricanes as a free agent. Robinson had three points in 15 games on their run to the Eastern Conference final, which ended with a series loss to the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers. 'It's no surprise to us that Eric had his best professional season last year with Carolina,' Tulsky said. 'His size and speed make him an excellent fit for the way we want to play.' Carolina has made the playoffs seven consecutive years since Rod Brind'Amour took over as coach. Robinson's only previous playoff experience in the league came in the 2020 bubble with Columbus. Robinson, 30, has played 413 NHL regular-season and playoff games with the Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres and Hurricanes since debuting in 2018.
Chicago Tribune
33 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Blackhawks acquire forward André Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken for Joe Veleno
The Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday acquired veteran forward André Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken for Joe Veleno. On its surface, the move appears to benefit both parties. The Kraken unload Burakovsky's contract ($5.5 million salary-cap hit) without a burdensome buyout. The Hawks upgrade their offense from the 25-year-old Veleno ($2.275 million), a center who was acquired in a March trade that sent goalie Petr Mrázek and forward Craig Smith to the Detroit Red Wings — a deal completed mainly as a favor to Mrázek. Veleno put up three goals and four assists in 18 games for the Hawks last season. Burakovsky is a two-time Stanley Cup winner, helping the Washington Capitals win the Cup in 2018 and the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. But the 30-year-old winger is no slam-dunk addition. While he twice was a 20-goal scorer with the Avs — he had 22 goals, 39 assists and 61 points in 2021-22, all career highs — injuries and offensive struggles plagued him during his three seasons in Seattle. Last season Burakovsky produced 10 goals and 27 assists in 79 games. The 6-foot-3, 203-pound, left-handed shot is a native of Klagenfurt, Austria, and was the 23rd pick in the 2013 draft by the Capitals. The 11-year-veteran has appeared in 696 career regular-season NHL games, producing 153 goals and 234 assists.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jahmai Jones' RBI double
Insider Suggests Colorado Avalanche as Top Destination for Jonathan Toews The Colorado Avalanche have already made their top priority signing by re-signing Brock Nelson and locking up their second-line center, but could they look to add another top centerman to their roster? 0:59 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
