Panthers GM: Matthew Tkachuk out until ‘December-ish’

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Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk is expected to be sidelined until sometime in December as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia, general manager Bill Zito said Wednesday.

Tkachuk underwent surgery in August.

Zito said December is a best guess.

“Don’t hold me to that,” Zito said. “That’s my internet medical degree.”

Zito also told reporters that forward Tomas Nosek will be “out for a while” while nursing an undisclosed injury sustained during the offseason.

Tkachuk, 27, sustained a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia injury while playing for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He played in four shifts during the Americans’ 3-2 overtime loss to Canada in the championship game of that tournament.

He was placed on long-term injured reserve on March 2 and did not return to the ice until the playoffs, when he notched 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 23 games on the way to the Panthers’ second straight Stanley Cup championship.

“There are measuring posts along the way and then how your reaction is at a certain point would then dictate when the next one is,” Zito said about Tkachuk’s plan to return to the ice. “It’s not necessarily equally laid-out timelines. … And so, we anticipate him being out until December-ish.”

Tkachuk had 22 goals and 35 assists (57 points) in 52 games last season before the injuries finished his regular season. He has totaled 636 points (240 goals, 396 assists) in 642 career regular season games with the Calgary Flames (2016-22) and Panthers.

Nosek, 33, had nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 59 games last season with Florida.

He has totaled 116 points (45 goals, 71 assists) in 493 career games with the Detroit Red Wings (2015-17), Vegas Golden Knights (2017-21), Boston Bruins (2021-23), New Jersey Devils (2023-24) and Panthers.

–Field Level Media