FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk is progressing from his offseason surgery and could begin on-ice training in the coming weeks, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Thursday.
The forward had surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia in August. At the start of training camp, general manager Bill Zito said that the Panthers were hoping Tkachuk could be back as soon as mid-December.
“We’re looking for him to hit the ice in the next two weeks,” Maurice said of Tkachuk, who was initially injured while playing for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
In addition to Tkachuk, Florida is without captain Aleksander Barkov, who had knee surgery after being injured early in training camp and is expected to be out 7-9 months. Forwards Tomas Nosek (knee) and Jonah Gadjovich (upper body) and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder) are also each out long term.
“There is this block of healing time where they are not doing much,” Maurice said. “They are moving, in the gym, sort of doing basic stuff. Then there comes a day when the doctor says: ‘Now you can go. Now you can start progressing.’ How fast they get back to playing after that will be conditioning. … Once they hit the ice, then will we have a better idea.”
Tkachuk missed the final 25 games last season after getting injured but returned to the lineup for the Panthers when they opened the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round. Tkachuk played in all 23 playoff games and was tied with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart for the team lead with 23 points.
Barkov had 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 23 playoff games last season.
The Panthers (8-7-1), who hosted the Washington Capitals on Thursday, are sixth in the Atlantic Division.