Matthew Tkachuk skated with the Florida Panthers for the first time this season on Sunday, marking a key step in his recovery from offseason surgery. The 28-year-old forward wore a non-contact jersey during the session at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. While speculation surrounds a possible return for the upcoming Winter Classic, coach Paul Maurice emphasized caution to ensure long-term health.
Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk participated in team practice on Sunday, December 28, 2025, for the first time since undergoing surgery on August 22 to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia. The injury, sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off for Team USA in February 2025, sidelined him for the final 25 regular-season games last year, though he returned for the playoffs, tallying 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) in 23 games to help secure the team's second straight Stanley Cup.
Tkachuk, who has yet to play this 2025-26 season, resumed individual skating in November and described his recovery as progressing 'month to month.' After the practice, he said, “Felt good... Better than I thought it would, actually.” Wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, he joined all drills and impressed teammates with his movement despite a six-month hiatus from competitive play.
Coach Paul Maurice praised Tkachuk's engagement, noting, “His hands haven’t changed... He hasn’t practiced in five, six months, and he moved all right. Just his engagement with the players, you know they are special players. Just great to see him skate.” Teammate Carter Verhaeghe added, “He looks awesome... He's worked so hard and he's a huge part of this team... To have him back in our lineup will definitely be a huge boost.” Defenseman Seth Jones called it “awesome and exciting,” saying Tkachuk “did not miss a beat.”
Speculation has grown about Tkachuk returning for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic against the New York Rangers on Friday at loanDepot park in Miami (8 p.m. ET). However, Maurice downplayed the likelihood: “There are a whole bunch of things he has to get through and the question is, is there enough time? ... It’s really not my decision... Doctors will inform the player, and the player and doctors make the decision.” He stressed prioritizing Tkachuk's health for the rest of the season and potential Olympic participation with Team USA in February 2026, where he was named to the preliminary roster in June.
A January return appears more feasible. The Panthers, currently 20-15-2, face injury challenges with captain Aleksander Barkov out for the regular season due to knee surgery, along with forwards Tomas Nosek (knee), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body, expected back post-Olympics), Cole Schwindt (broken arm), and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder, possible March return). Forwards Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky sat out Sunday's well-attended session.
Since joining Florida in a 2022 trade from Calgary, Tkachuk has recorded 254 points (88 goals, 166 assists) in 211 regular-season games and leads the team with 69 playoff points (25 goals, 44 assists) in 67 games.
