Panthers get huge Matthew Tkachuk update amid surge

To the disgust of the fans of the other 31 teams, the Florida Panthers are starting to roll again in their quest for a three-peat. It was a slow start to the season for the defending champions, but injuries to a couple of key players were a significant reason. While captain Aleksander Barkov could be out for the season, the Panthers will be getting a return from Matthew Tkachuk soon, according to George Richards via NHL.com.

“We are kind of moving into the phase of the doctors signing off on him coming back to our practices. I do not know when that is going to be because we don’t practice, so how would I know? But he hasn’t had a setback,” head coach Paul Maurice told reporters. “He’s on track. He’s on the ice, he gets off the ice every day, and he feels stronger.”

Tkachuk has a knack for appearing for the Panthers in a significant moment. He also has a desire for the spotlight, and there is no bigger spotlight in the NHL regular season than the Winter Classic. The Panthers are hosting it this year in Miami, and everyone is circling January 2 as the day the forward returns.

While Maurice’s comments could lead some to believe that Tkachuk will return sooner, the Panthers’ recent hot streak could give Matthew Tkachuk some extra time to reach full strength. They are 7-2-1 over their last 10 games, and all of a sudden are now second in the Atlantic Division and just one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for first.

The post Panthers get huge Matthew Tkachuk update amid surge appeared first on ClutchPoints.