Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Scores first goals of season
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Tkachuk recorded two goals, including one on the power play, and added a power-play assist in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Blues.
Tkachuk went without a goal in his first five appearances of the season, but he finally ended that drought with a strong showing Thursday. Tkachuk is still getting into a rhythm since he made his season debut Jan. 19, but the early returns have been positive. The star winger has six points in six games so far (two goals, four assists). He also logged 23:41 of ice time in this game, marking the first time this season he's played over 21 minutes in a single contest -- another positive sign for his rest-of-season upside.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Collects two power-play helpers
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Tkachuk notched two power-play assists and four shots on goal in Saturday's 4-3 overtime win over the Wild.
Tkachuk now has three helpers over the last two games after going scoreless in his season debut. The 28-year-old winger may need some time to get his scoring touch back, but he'll be given plenty of leeway for that in a top-six role. He's added three hits, eight shots on net, four PIM and a minus-1 rating over three outings so far.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Earns first point
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Tkachuk notched an assist and two PIM in Thursday's 2-1 shootout win over the Jets.
This was Tkachuk's second game of the season after he returned from a long-term groin injury that required surgery. The winger set up Sam Bennett's goal late in the second period. Tkachuk has added four shots on net, two hits, four PIM and an even plus-minus rating while taking on a second-line job for now. He may need some time to round into form after the lengthy absence, but he's a multi-category stud at his best and should be given plenty of leeway by fantasy managers looking for a midseason boost.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Set for season debut
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Tkachuk (groin) will be activated from non-roster injured reserve ahead of Monday's matchup against San Jose, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
After missing the first 47 games of 2025-26, Tkachuk will make his season debut. He accounted for 22 goals, 57 points, 156 shots on net, 54 PIM and 84 hits across 52 regular-season appearances in 2024-25. Based on Monday's morning skate, Tkachuk will occupy a third-line role versus the Sharks, but he should also see time on the power play.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Set to travel with team
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Tkachuk (groin) is slated to travel with the Panthers during their upcoming six-game road trip, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports Monday.
Tkachuk hasn't yet suited up for the Panthers this season, but he could return during the team's upcoming road trip, which begins Tuesday in Toronto and concludes Jan. 17 against Washington. The 28-year-old practiced in a non-contact jersey recently, and he'll presumably need to progress to full-contact work before he's given the green light for game action.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Not available for Friday
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Per Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site, head coach Paul Maurice has ruled out Tkachuk (groin) for Friday's Winter Classic against the Rangers in Florida.
It's no surprise as Tkachuk was in a non-contact jersey at morning skate Thursday. The power forward has yet to play this season after undergoing offseason groin surgery. He is likely to enter the lineup in the next week or two. Tkachuk had 22 goals and 57 points in 52 regular-season appearances in 2024-25.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Practicing in non-contact jersey
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Tkachuk (groin) is at Thursday's morning skate in a non-contact jersey, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports.
Tkachuk is getting closer to returning to the lineup, after missing the first 39 games of the season, following offseason groin surgery. The talented winger had 22 goals and 35 assists across 52 regular-season games in 2024-25.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Starts skating
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Tkachuk (groin) has resumed skating, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports Wednesday.
Tkachuk's timeline to return is still somewhere between December and January, but he is progressing on an on-and-off schedule. The 27-year-old had 22 goals, 57 points, 54 PIM and 84 hits across 52 regular-season outings in 2024-25. Tkachuk should serve in a top-six capacity when he's healthy.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Moves to IR-NR
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Tkachuk (groin) was placed on non-roster injured reserve Tuesday.
Tkachuk isn't expected to return to the lineup until sometime in December, so this move is simply procedural. While the star winger works his way back to full strength, Brad Marchand, who penned a six-year, $31.5 million contract in the offseason, will work in a top-six role. Considering Tkachuk played through a torn hip adductor and sports hernia during the 2025 postseason, it might take him some time to get back up to full speed once he's back in the lineup.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Might return in December
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Tkachuk (groin) is expected to be out until "December-ish," general manager Bill Zito told David Dwork of The Hockey News on Wednesday.
A previous timetable suggested that Tkachuk might be out until January, but this update from Zito suggests the 27-year-old forward should be back earlier. Tkachuk had 22 goals, 57 points, 54 PIM and 84 hits in 52 regular-season appearances with Florida in 2024-25. He played through a torn hip adductor and sports hernia during the postseason and underwent surgery in August.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Expected to miss start of campaign
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Tkachuk (groin) is expected to be unavailable for the start of the 2024-25 campaign after undergoing surgery in August, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
Pagnotta believes Tkachuk might be on the shelf until January. If that ends up being the case, then Tkachuk would miss the first 39 games of the regular season. Tkachuk was a key member of the Panthers' 2025 Stanley Cup championship, recording eight goals, 23 points, 33 PIM and 46 hits in 23 playoff outings, and he did so despite playing with a torn adductor muscle. It seems that he'll need some time to recover from that injury before he can go back to serving in a top-six capacity for the Panthers.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Wins Cup, reveals serious injury
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Tkachuk (groin) scored a goal in Tuesday's 5-1 Stanley Cup-clinching win over the Oilers.
Remarkably, after the game, Tkachuk revealed that he had been playing with a torn adductor muscle that is right off the bone. While he finished the playoffs with an incredible 23 points in as many games, Tkachuk will likely head under the knife quickly to repair this injury. He might not be ready to start next season.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Draws assist in Game 5
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Tkachuk registered an assist and three hits in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Oilers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Tkachuk has five points, nine shots on net and a plus-2 rating over his last three games. He set up a Sam Bennett tally late in the first period that gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Tkachuk is up to 22 points (seven goals, 15 helpers), 39 shots on net, 45 hits, 33 PIM and a plus-6 rating over 22 playoff outings. He's had just one multi-game slump all postseason, providing steady offense in a second-line role.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Three points in overtime loss
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Tkachuk scored two power-play goals and added an assist in Thursday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Oilers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Tkachuk had his best performance since the playoff opener versus the Lightning, but it wasn't enough. The 27-year-old has three goals and four assists over his last five contests. Overall, he's produced seven goals, 21 points (11 on the power play), 38 shots on net, 42 hits, 33 PIM and a plus-6 rating across 21 playoff appearances.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Records helper in loss
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Tkachuk notched an assist, three shots on goal and two hits in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Tkachuk picked up the secondary helper on the first of Sam Bennett's two goals in the contest. The 27-year-old Tkachuk has picked up the pace lately, earning two goals and six assists over six games since the start of the Eastern Conference Finals. He's at five goals, 12 helpers, 30 shots on net, 40 hits, 10 blocked shots, 29 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 18 playoff outings.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Earns pair of points
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Tkachuk scored a power-play goal, dished an assist and blocked two shots in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Hurricanes in Game 5.
Tkachuk's pair of points came 30 seconds apart in the middle frame, as he helped the Panthers erase an early 2-0 deficit. He finished the Eastern Conference Finals with two goals and five assists over five contests versus Carolina. He's now at five goals, 11 helpers, 27 shots on net, 38 hits, 29 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 17 appearances this postseason.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Dishes two helpers in win
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Tkachuk registered two assists, five shots on goal, five hits, 12 PIM and a plus-2 rating in Saturday's 6-2 win over the Hurricanes in Game 3.
Tkachuk had a hand in the Panthers' five-goal third period, setting up tallies by Niko Mikkola and Aleksander Barkov during the rally. Tkachuk has looked at his best in the Eastern Conference Finals, earning a goal and four assists over his last three games. He has a total of four goals, 10 helpers, 24 shots on net, 36 hits, 27 PIM and a plus-5 rating through 15 playoff games.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Two-point game in win
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Tkachuk had a goal and an assist in a 5-0 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday.
His goal was a nice tap-in at the left post to put Florida up 2-0 in the first period. But it was his antagonism of Andrei Svechnikov later in the same frame that led to a penalty and power-play goal that drove the score to 3-0. Tkachuk isn't even the more talented brother, but his ability to agitate and chirp is epic, and he drives opponents over the edge. And his offense really is sweet. Tkachuk sits in a tie with Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand for second in team scoring these playoffs (12 points; four goals, eight assists).
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Manages power-play assist
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Tkachuk logged a power-play assist and two hits in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Maple Leafs in Game 4.
Tkachuk's ice time has bounced back in the second round. His 17:30 in Sunday's contest was his lowest total in four games versus Toronto after he peaked at 16:32 over five games in the first round versus the Lightning. The winger has gone six outings without a goal but has four assists, including three on the power play, in that span. He's at eight points (six on the power play), 12 shots on net, 12 hits, 13 PIM and a plus-1 rating over nine playoff outings. Tkachuk may not be at 100 percent after a long-term groin injury, but he appears to be improving and should be a steady source of physicality throughout the playoffs.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Snags helper in win
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Tkachuk recorded a power-play assist and two shots on goal in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Lightning in Game 5.
Tkachuk has averaged just 13:41 of ice time over five playoff contests. While his minutes are being managed coming off a long-term groin injury, he's been productive with five points, eight shots on net, three hits, 11 PIM and a plus-1 rating. He's still seeing a hearty amount of power-play time (3:38 per game), which is where he's earned four of his five points this postseason.
