“The Tkachuk factor is so terrifying to me,” said the former NHL star, David Beckes, who was unsure about the Panthers’ chances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs without Matthew Tkachuk. The latter has been away from the action due to an injury suffered at the Four Nations tournament. With the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tkachuk is racing to get back in shape in time to face the Lightning. Recently, he appeared on the Up And Adams Show, during which he hinted about his return while silencing Beckes’ views about him.
Tkachuk revealed, “It’s been crushing me on not being on ice the last couple of weeks but I have been wanting it so bad. The first couple of games after the Four Nations, you really want to be out there; it’s good but trying to get a little bit of rest but the last month I have been edging so badly. So I can’t wait to get out there whenever that day is, hopefully very, very soon.”
Subsequently, he was asked about his exact timeline of return to action, to which Matthew Tkachuk cheekily replied, “I think I would get into trouble if I would say that,” as he kept the guessing game going on.
Matthew Tkachuk back for Game 1?
Sure sounds like it…@UpAndAdamsShow @TKACHUKycheese_
pic.twitter.com/H1SdnMAIQv
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) April 16, 2025
Even as Tkachuk was hoping for a return in the first round of the playoffs, Beckes’ comments about the Panthers completely put him off. The former NHL star cited, “I think I think they’re a little bit worse. I think the D core is a little bit worse. I think Florida is too—call it hurt also—but they are too tired to win the cup again. But they’re not too tired to win a round. Like, I think they will run out of steam if they keep winning, but not in the first round.”
Interestingly, Matthew Tkachuk has been a key player for the Panthers and was instrumental in their triumph last season. As a result, the Panthers fans would hope that he returns to the ice soon. Amid this, the Panthers’ coach, Paul Maurice, had some good news for the fans.
Paul Maurice hopeful about Matthew Tkachuk’s return in the next game
The Panthers have been sweating over the fitness of Tkachuk, who has been away from the action for over two months now. He suffered a groin injury during the Four Nations tournament and was forced to sit out a majority of that event. Subsequently, he also missed several crucial NHL games, even as the Panthers managed to clinch a playoff spot. Ahead of the next round, Maurice provided an update on Tkachuk’s return.
He said, “I think he was a guy that came back from the World Cup and- sorry the 4 Nations, and yeah I think those guys come back and they view themselves differently but he’s been very good.”
Additionally, the Panthers’ GM, Bill Zito, also had some words on Matthew Tkachuk’s return, saying, “We hope to get him back for the playoffs. We still have projection, diagnosis and rehab. There is a course of action, but how and where and what manner of that progress from that rehab has yet to be determined.”
With the Stanley Cup Playoffs first round not very far away, it remains to be seen if Tkachuk can get back in shape in time to face the Lightning. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs on his comeback.
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