Tkachuk skates with Panthers, as playoff opener at Lightning looms closer

By Canadian Press on April 19, 2025.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk skated with the Florida Panthers in practice on Saturday, a sign that he may be ready to rejoin the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs.

The Panthers, who won the Stanley Cup last season, open Round 1 at Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Tkachuk has not played for Florida since Feb. 8, the team’s last game before the start of the 4 Nations Face-off event in which he participated for the U.S. He sustained a lower-body injury in the second game of that tournament, then tried to play in the final against Canada but didn’t take any shifts for the third period or overtime of that contest.

The Panthers placed Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve. He missed the team’s final 25 games of the regular season, yet still finished with 22 goals, 35 assists and 57 points — third-most on the team in all three categories. He was also second on the Panthers this season with 11 power-play goals.

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The Associated Press