Matthew Tkachuk Likely to Miss Rest of Regular Season
General Managaer Bill Zito hinted that Matthew Tkachuk could miss the rest of the regular season after he was placed on long-term injured reserve on Sunday morning.
FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers may have to wait until the start of the postseason for the return of star forward Matthew Tkachuk
When general manager Bill Zito was asked whether Tkachuk’s move to long-term injured reserve meant his season was over — and if the Panthers planned on using the $8.7 million in salary cap space the move opened up — he did not sound
“I don’t think it says anything other than we have [cap] space,” Zito said on Monday morning.
“Matthew is going to be out for an extended period of time, and we hope to get him back for the playoffs.”
The Panthers have been vague with Tkachuk’s status ever since he returned from the 4 Nations Face-Off.
He sustained an injury during the tournament that limited him to just over six minutes in the championship game and ended his night during the second period. Ever since he came back he has gone undergone numerous tests and gotten opinions from multiple doctors.
Florida has not been able to come up with a straight answer for when their star forward will return.
“You have a projection, you have a diagnosis and a rehab course of action,” Zito said. “How, where and in what manner the process of that rehab has yet to be determined.”
Tkachuk likely ends his regular season with 22 goals and 57 points in 52 games.
The Panthers will likely turn their attention to making an upgrade to their forward core or their back-up goaltender position after shipping Spencer Knight and a first-round pick off to Chicago in exchange for Seth Jones.
Tkachuk will be able to return off LTIR regardless during the playoffs of how much of the $8.7 million in salary cap savings the Panthers use at the deadline.