Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk to Miss Start of Season

Tkachuk, 27, first suffered the injury while representing the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, which led to him playing less than seven minutes in the final against Canada. He then did not return until Game 1 of the first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and despite still being visibly injured, scored 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in as many games to help Florida win its second-straight Stanley Cup.

Only after winning the Cup did Tkachuk reveal the nature of his injury, sharing that he suffered a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia on the same side of his body. He added that the adductor muscle was torn from the bone.

“I wouldn’t be here without the trainers and the doctors and those people, and that’s what makes this Cup more special for me is how hard it was just to be out there and to get to the point of playing," Tkachuk said after winning the Cup, per NHL.com. "I owe th ose guys. This Cup is because of them for me, and I’m so lucky.”

Tkachuk told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski earlier this month that he was still undecided on getting the surgery, noting the long recovery time.

"If I do get the surgery, it'll definitely be the first two or maybe three months if that's the case. But it's still undecided at this point," Tkachuk said.

Since arriving in Florida in 2022, Tkachuk has been a game-changer for the Panthers. The star forward has 88 goals and 254 points in 211 regular season games, and his grit and leadership have helped the Panthers go from a downtrodden franchise to the envy of the entire NHL.

“Coming down here to Florida changed my life forever,” Tkachuk said. “Three finals, two championships, this is more than why you play the game. This is what makes it all worth it and it’s so special. I just have so many people to thank.”