Matthew Tkachuk is on his way back. On Sunday, the Florida Panthers’ 28-year-old forward practiced with the team for the first time this season.
– It felt good, actually better than I thought it would, Tkachuk told the media after training.
Tkachuk is still rehabbing from surgery he had on Aug. 22 to repair injuries he suffered while playing for the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. A muscle injury and a hernia kept him out of the 25 completed games last season.
However, Tkachuk was back for the Stanley Cup playoffs, where he finished tied for first in the team’s internal scoring: 23 points (8+15) in 23 games as the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup.
But this season, Tkachuk hasn’t played; the operation in August has required a lot of rest. But now he is on his way back: he completed the first training of the season together with his teammates wearing a shirt that announced no physical contact.
However, Florida coach Paul Maurice is doubtful about a too quick comeback, for example already for the outdoor game in the Winter Classic against the New York Rangers a few days into the new year:
– There are a whole lot of things he has to get through and the question is, is there enough time? Maurice thought. He might be healthy enough or close to it to play. But we take no risks; in order to play he must reach certain levels.
– It has been six months since he played a hockey game. As much as we appreciate hockey and as much as we’d love to have him back in it, and as great as it would be to see him out there, the Florida Panthers need him healthy for the rest of the year. But this is not my decision and it shouldn’t be. The doctors will inform the player, and the player and the doctors make the decision.
If Tkachuk returns in the not-too-distant future, then of course he will be available for the USA team in the Olympic hockey in Milan in February. He is already selected in the squad as one of the first six – which was announced last summer.
