Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk to miss start of season after undergoing surgery: report
Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk is slated to miss the start of the 2025-26 NHL regular season after undergoing surgery to address injuries that kept him off the ice for a significant chunk of 2024-25, according to a new report by The Fourth Period insider David Pagnotta.
Tkachuk, 27, missed the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season after being ruled out from game action in the wake of the 4 Nations Face-Off, at which he represented Team USA. The agitating winger was held to just 6:47 of ice time in the tournament final, which Canada won in overtime by a 3-2 score, and did not play again until Game 1 of the Panthers’ Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After playing injured throughout the playoffs, dealing with what he later revealed to be a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia, Tkachuk remained outwardly uncertain during the initial weeks of the offseason about whether he would undergo surgery, but he appears to have made his choice. Pagnotta noted that while Tkachuk’s recovery timeline is unclear, he could remain sidelined until January.
Can confirm Matthew Tkachuk underwent surgery a few weeks ago and will miss the start of the season.
Timeline is unclear, but he could be out of action as long as sometime in January.
Tkachuk still recorded 23 points in 23 playoff games with the Panthers this past spring while being visibly hampered at times by his injuries. He once again played an instrumental role in the Panthers defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, collecting three goals and seven points over the six-game series.
A first-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2016, Tkachuk has almost single-handedly transformed the Panthers from consistent first-round disappointments to championship contenders (and winners) since arriving in South Florida back in 2022. The Panthers have reached the Final in all three years of his tenure, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 before beating Edmonton in 2024 and 2025.
Through 642 career games over nine NHL seasons with the Flames and Panthers, Tkachuk has collected 240 goals and 636 points. The Scottsdale, AZ product has racked up 32 goals and 84 points in 94 playoff contests over seven playoff appearances with Calgary and Florida.
The Panthers have kept their championship roster largely intact this offseason, agreeing to long-term contract extensions with Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Sam Bennett, although they did replace Nate Schmidt with Jeff Petry and Vitek Vanecek with Daniil Tarasov. They may have to make further roster changes when Tkachuk returns from injury, assuming he starts the upcoming season on long-term injured reserve.