Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) skates against Team Finland in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Panthers Issue Update on Matthew Tkachuk Injury

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Mar 3, 2025 12:21 PM ET

The Florida Panthers made a major move before this year's Trade Deadline by acquiring defenseman Seth Jones. The trade bolsters their blue line and odds at another Stanley Cup run.

But the Panthers won't have their best odds if they don't have Matthew Tkachuk. The team provided a disappointing injury update regarding their star winger, and the outlook is less than ideal. The team's general manager, Bill Zito, shared that the Panthers placed Tkachuk on Long-Term Injured Reserve. Even worse, the team expects him out for a significant amount of time and hope to have him return for the postseason.

"Matthew's going to be out for an extended period of time," Zito said. "We hope to get him back for the playoffs."

Zito on Tkachuk's status:

"Matthew's going to be out for an extended period of time. We hope to get him back for the playoffs."
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) March 3, 2025

The update is a huge blow to the Panthers' Stanley Cup hopes. Tkachuk is a not only a 100-point scorer, he's the team's fiercest competitor. He sets a physical and agitating tone with every shift he takes. So far this season, he's scored 57 points in 52 games, with 22 of those points coming on the power play. He also has 54 penalty minutes, a sign of his frequent involvement in extracurricular activities on the ice.

The lone bright spot in this situation is the potential salary cap space this affords the Panthers. With Tkachuk going on LTIR, the team has freed up a prorated portion of his salary. If Tkachuk remains out until the postseason, the Cats won't have to worry about making his contract fit within the salary cap. Hypothetically, it would allow the Panthers to exceed the salary cap ceiling and acquire another top-six forward to help shoulder the scoring load.

The Panthers are already aggressively pursuing another Stanley Cup. Despite the setback of Tkachuk's injury, the Panthers will likely remain aggressive and continue bolstering their lineup in an effort to become the third back-to-back NHL champions in the last ten years.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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