It has been quite an eventful season for the 27-year-old Matthew Tkachuk. He’s gone from the NHL regular season to the 4 Nations Face-Off to the treatment room and then right into playoff action. Some may argue Tkachuk was rushed back too soon, but for the Florida Panthers, having a Tkachuk who’s a few points off 100% is better than no Tkachuk at all. “Having everyone healthy is highly unusual, and not to be expected. We just kind of roll with it,” said Paul Maurice earlier in the playoffs. And despite his iffy fitness at the moment, Tkachuk remains confident about his team’s chances of going forward.
And why wouldn’t he be? After all, the Panthers have just won two series where they didn’t even have the home ice advantage, and are now up against an opponent Tkachuk has vanquished before. “Bus in 10 (minutes),” he famously said after game 2 of the 2023 Conference Finals between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers, after scoring his second OT winner in a row. That series ended up being the Matthew Tkachuk Show as he assisted Sam Reinhart’s winner in game 3 and proceeded to score 2 in game 4 to complete the sweep.
So he may be still feeling some injury niggles, but he’s done this before against the Canes. Can he roll it back? During an interview after reaching the last four, Tkachuk was asked how he was feeling physically. Replying to this, he said, “I honestly feel great so I’m expecting to just continue to get better you know the longer this goes the better you feel. So hopefully keep this going for a while.”
Dec 14, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) during the second period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images/ File Photo
But even during their recent series against the Maple Leafs, there were talks about Tkachuk not being physically fit. Ahead of Game 4 in that series, the Panthers’ coach, Paul Maurice, revealed that he will have to make some lineup decisions based on Tkachuk’s health. Later, Tkachuk did play in that game and was crucial to the team’s comeback win of 5-4.
Quashing injury rumors, Tkachuk assured fans, saying, “I’m physically feeling great. … I’m happy to be out there with the guys. There’s nothing better.” With Tkachuk being a crucial part of the Panthers, his performances are closely scrutinized. Even coach Maurice had some surprising thoughts on Tkachuk’s recent performances.
Paul Maurice assesses the performance of Matthew Tkachuk
It has been an up-and-down season for Tkachuk, filled with injury setbacks. Despite making a timely comeback in the playoffs, he hasn’t displayed his best form, apart from flashes of his skills. In the 12 playoff games that he has played this season, Tkachuk scored just 3 goals and 6 assists, well below his standards. As a result, his coach had something to say about him.
In an interview after Game 4 against the Maple Leafs, Maurice mentioned, “I think his game last game was his best. I think his last three games that he’s played have been the best that he’s played in the playoffs. I think he has an incredible ability to adapt his game, and I think he was doing that in the Tampa series, almost straight through the Tampa series. But he is back.”
Further, he went on to add, “I didn’t see him adapting his game [in Game 4]. The glimpses from the bench where he’ll move differently or release a puck early or do something or give himself another foot of ice just to cover off a change in direction, something like that, I didn’t see any of that last night.”
With Tkachuk dismissing any rumors about his injury, he’ll be rearing to go in the Conference Final against the Hurricanes. It’ll be interesting to see if he can lead the Panthers into the final of the Stanley Cup.
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