Matthew Tkachuk missed the entire second half of the 2024-’25 NHL regular season after suffering an injury during the 4 Nations Tournament in February. The Florida Panthers placed Tkachuk on the LTIR and didn’t activate him until the first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
After winning a second Stanley Cup, the Florida forward revealed that he tore his adductor off the bone and was dealing with a hernia on the same side of his body. However, despite another great Stanley Cup playoff run, Tkachuk could be poised to miss a significant amount of time.
According to Nick Kypreos on Sportsnet, Tkachuk’s injury may require surgery, which could keep him out through the Christmas break. This would be a massive blow for Florida’s first half of the season, but it would allow the team to keep Evan Rodrigues, for now, since Tkachuk would likely be placed on the LTIR.
The 27-year-old forward is focused on winning a third straight Stanley Cup and a gold medal for the United States of America in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Tkachuk hopes he doesn’t have to miss the Olympics, but his torn adductor and hernia could keep him out longer than anticipated if surgery is needed.
Related: Latest on Evan Rodrigues’ future with Florida, how Matthew Tkachuk could play a factor
