FORT LAUDERDALE – Taking a big step toward his eventual return to the Florida Panthers, star forward Matthew Tkachuk skated prior to Monday’s practice at Baptist Health IcePlex.
Working his way back from a lower-body injury, Tkachuk hasn’t played competitively since the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 20.
“He’s basically out there touching pucks,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “There’s no conditioning component to it because he’s not there yet. He’ll probably just get out on the ice and move some pucks around for a few more days, probably another week or so.”
The next checkpoint in Tkachuk’s recovery will involve ramping up his on-ice activities.
“Hopefully we can get to a point where he can start driving,” Maurice said. “You can do off-ice things to try and mitigate some of the conditioning loss, but he is going to have to get in some significant skates here, and I think we’re still a ways from that.”
With the regular season ending on April 15, the Panthers hope that Tkachuk will be able to return to the lineup during the first round of the playoffs, which should begin a few days later.
“That’s what we’re shooting for, depending on when those games get scheduled,” Maurice said.
An integral piece of Florida’s attack, Tkachuk has logged 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in 52 games this season, including lighting the lamp in six straight games prior to his injury.
In 44 career playoff games with the Panthers, Tkachuk has produced a whopping 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists), including posting 22 points during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup.
Eager to get back into action, Tkachuk has been on LTIR since March 2.
“Hopefully he can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” teammate Sam Reinhart said. “To get someone like that back in the lineup is a positive thing. How he felt [after his skate], I’m not sure. It certainly sounds like a step in the right direction if he’s out there.”
In position to finish first in the Atlantic Division even without Tkachuk, the Panthers (91 points) sit three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (94 points) with one game in hand.
Of their final nine games this season, two will be against the Maple Leafs.
With the Panthers set to begin their four-game road trip with a rematch against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, Tkachuk is expected to travel with the team and continue his rehab.
