Matthew Tkachuk, the star forward for the Florida Panthers, has confirmed his readiness to be a full participant in the upcoming training camp starting on September 21. It’s great news for Panthers fans who may have heard comments from Matthew’s brother Brady that the injury was incredibly serious. “I’m not going to lie, that was the craziest thing I’ve ever kind of been a part of,” Brady said, via NHL.com. “I just flew in for the game because I wanted to see a Stanley Cup Final game and he came back from the rink in the morning and just looked awful.”
Tkachuk shared his excitement and optimism during an interview at the NHL North American Player Media Tour for an upcoming episode of the “NHL @TheRink” podcast. He’s looking forward to getting back on the ice in the hopes that the Panthers can take that one next step and win the Stanley Cup — they fell just short in 2002-23, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Final.
Tkachuk’s journey to this point has been remarkable, given the injury he endured during the Golden Knights series on June 8. In the first period of Game 3, he suffered a fractured sternum that could have sidelined him for months. However, Tkachuk’s determination and focused rehabilitation paid off. He noted when asked about specifics, “I’ll try to keep it short, but there’s all the blood vessels and stuff and that was the scary part at the time and that was the most concerning part in my health at the time,” Tkachuk said. “But right now, it’s good.”
Saying he’s “feeling great, he added, “It’s been a very short summer, the way I want it to be every year going forward. The worst timing for the injury, obviously, Stanley Cup Final, but in a weird way I had time after where I wasn’t missing X amount of months of game action, so I had the summer to get ready.” He added, “I definitely improved on some things. The injury allowed me to work on some parts of fitness and conditioning, and that is in the best form right now possible, and I just improved on some strength, which was my goal.”
With Tkachuk back in top form and his spirits high, the Florida Panthers and their fans have every reason to be excited for the upcoming season. His presence on the ice, combined with his determination and skill, promises to be a driving force behind the Panthers’ pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
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