FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers expect forward Matthew Tkachuk to be sidelined until approximately December while he recovers from offseason surgery to deal with a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle, team hockey operations president and general manager Bill Zito said Wednesday.
The timeline is fluid, since there are various benchmarks that Tkachuk has to continue hitting in his recovery before the Panthers can further evaluate. Tkachuk had surgery in August, after weeks of deliberating whether the procedure was necessary.
"There's a series of opinions that when somebody undertakes this type of procedure," Zito said. "You can see it's a possibility. I think ultimately it was the final diagnosis in tandem with his decision of, 'What do I want to try to do?'"
The Panthers also expect Tomas Nosek to be out indefinitely, after he was injured during the offseason. Nosek is dealing with a knee issue.
"It's going to be months, for sure," Zito said.
Tkachuk missed the final 25 games of the regular season last spring but was able to play through both injuries for the Panthers when the team won its second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
The December timetable means that Tkachuk should have plenty of time to prepare to play for USA Hockey in February at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Tkachuk is expected to be one of the top players on the U.S. Olympic team, which will seek its first gold medal since the Lake Placid Games in 1980.
Tkachuk had 23 points — eight goals and 15 assists — in 23 playoff games, including seven points in the Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton. The Panthers beat the Oilers in six games.
"There are measuring posts along the way and then how your reaction is at a certain point would then dictate when the next one is," Zito said about Tkachuk's return-to-play plan. "It's not necessarily equally laid-out timelines. ... And so, we anticipate him being out until December-ish, but don’t hold me to that. That's my internet medical degree."
The Panthers open training camp on Thursday. Most of the team's top players and veterans aren't expected to be involved in the early days of camp, Zito said, while the team tries to balance its exposure to wear and tear — the team has played into June in each of the last three seasons — against the need to get ready for the season.
The plan is for those players to be back on the ice in full next week, Zito said.
"They're going to continue to do their off-ice individual training," he said. "We're trying to get better. We're trying to improve."
Florida begins the regular season at home against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 7.
As the Florida Panthers chase a third Stanley Cup championship this season, WPTV is along for the ride!
We will be highlighting the team with our new show on South Florida's 9 called "Panthers 360".
Hosted by WPTV anchor Mike Trim, watch the show each Wednesday starting Sept. 24.
We will take an in-depth look at the season, break down film and connect with the players and special stories off the ice.
Every Monday at 12:15 p.m. on the WPTV YouTube page, Trim will be joined by different analysts to discuss the latest on the team. We want to hear your thoughts, so post your questions and comments while the live interview takes place!
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