Forward Matthew Tkachuk will make his season debut on Monday against the San Jose Sharks, he confirmed to reporters earlier in the day.
“It’s not like I can dip my toe … I told them, ‘I’m coming back, throw me in the fire,'” Tkachuk said. “We need these points. That’s why I was only coming back at 100 per cent. Just really excited.”
Tkachuk missed the first 47 games of the season due to off-season surgery on a sports hernia and a torn adductor muscle. He hasn’t played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final due to injuries he sustained while playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off last February.
He went through the summer trying to rehab but eventually decided that he needed the surgery.
The 28-year-old has been with the Panthers for three seasons, guiding them to the Cup final each year. He’s accumulated 69 playoff points over that span.
Tkachuk has 88 goals and 166 assists in the regular season since 2023-24.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native will also be a member of Team USA at the Olympics next month.
