The Florida Panthers forward is “50-50” on whether to undergo surgery for a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia suffered during the 4 Nations Face-Off, he told ESPN on Friday.
“If I do get the surgery, it’ll definitely be the first two or maybe three months (of the 2025-26 season) if that’s the case. But it’s still undecided at this point,” Tkachuk said.
Tkachuk missed the remainder of the regular season after sustaining the injury in February but returned in time for Game 1 of the playoffs. The winger didn’t miss a single post-season contest, posting 23 points in the 23 games las the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup.
He said he’s taken time this off-season to make a decision on surgery, but he’s hoping to skate “as soon as possible.”
In the meantime, Tkachuk was named the cover star of the video game NHL 26 and watched as the Panthers’ winning core stuck together with new deals for Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand.
Tkachuk is under contract with the Panthers through the 2029-30 season at an average annual value of $9.5 million.