What New Matthew Tkachuk Injury Update Means for Panthers' Rivals

Panthers Could Leverage LTIR For Cap Flexibility

Tkachuck told ESPN on Friday that, “I'm still hoping to hit the ice as soon as possible. If I do get the surgery, it definitely will be the first two, maybe three months [of the season] if that's the case. But it's still undecided at this point.”

The Panthers forward is coming off scoring 57 points in 52 regular-season games last season and added 23 more points during the playoffs, helping Florida capture a second consecutive Stanley Cup.

Although Tkachuk's absence will remove one of the Panthers’ most impactful players from the lineup for much of the season, Florida could opt to place him on long-term injured reserve.

In that case, his $9.5 million cap hit could give Florida significant in-season flexibility, as his sizable salary won't count against the Panthers' cap for the season.

The franchise, currently $3.725 million over the salary cap, would have the space to pursue high-end additions via trade to bolster its roster for another deep playoff push.

Panthers' Rivals Should Make the Most of Matthew Tkachuk's Absence

Tkachuk’s extended absence is also an opening for Atlantic Division contenders to close the gap on the defending champions.

Teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Ottawa Senators could push hard to capitalize while Florida operates without its power forward, trying to climb up the divisional standings as high as possible to clinch an easier postseason path toward the Stanley Cup Final.

That said, even though Toronto (108 points) and Tampa Bay (102) finished above the Panthers (98) in the Atlantic last season, with Ottawa sitting fourth (97), it was Florida who ended up lifting the Cup for the second consecutive time.