Matthew Tkachuk lifts the Stanley Cup on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce … More Bennett/Getty Images)
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When last seen publicly, Matthew Tkachuk was making the media rounds following the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off in February, appearing on ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’ and Jason and Travis Kelce’s popular ‘New Heights’ podcast with his brother Brady.
But the Stanley Cup-winning left winger for the Florida Panthers hasn’t dressed for a game since suiting up for Team USA at the 4 Nations Tournament, when he left the championship game midway through the second period with an apparent groin injury.
The Panthers are getting ready to defend their title when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin this weekend, and Tkachuk is hopeful that he’ll be back on the ice with his teammates before long.
“It’s been trending well,” Tkachuk said Monday. “Recovery’s never easy, but worth it in the end. So hopefully I can be back soon.”
At the 4 Nations tournament, the Tkachuk brothers galvanized the sports and entertainment world far beyond the usual hockey spectrum. They were both combatants in the notorious three fights in nine seconds that kicked off the round-robin matchup between Team USA and their arch-rivals from Canada in Montreal.
“You don’t realize it at the time,” he said. “But it kind of changes your life in a weird way. It’s all people talked about — non-hockey people, and people across the country.”
From that white-hot spotlight, Tkachuk’s life shifted behind closed doors as he worked to get healthy in time for playoffs.
“It’s brutal going from such a high to such a low,” he said. “Long days and grueling days, so I’m happy to be towards the end of that right now. Just trying to be a positive cheerleader for the guys. You want to be on the bench or be on the ice, battling with them. I’ll be in the room, strategizing, pumping them up. I watch all the games and give them as much feedback as I can.”
While most of the key players from the Panthers’ 2024 championship run have returned, Florida’s roster has seen some changes. Ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, the Panthers added defenseman Seth Jones, then shocked the hockey world by acquiring longtime nemesis and former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand.
“Whenever you bring in guys like Brad and them, you see the belief that the organization’s put in, that they believe in us,” Tkachuk said. “Whenever you trade for guys of their caliber, the team believes that you have a chance to do it again. That gives us a ton of confidence.”
This spring, Tkachuk and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar are also the faces of the ‘Check In To Win’ sweepstakes at Great Clips, the official hair salon of the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association.
From now through May 19, fans who download the Great Clips app and check in will be entered for a chance to see epic on-ice checks live from the stands at the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Other prizes include gift cards for Great Clips and NHLShop.com.
“I love to work with them,” Tkachuk said. “I love the way my hair looks, even though I’ll be rockin’ a new cut for playoffs, most likely, like I do every year. That’s right around the corner, so looking forward to my Great Clips playoff cut from them.”
In 2024, the Great Clips playoff cut took Tkachuk all the way to a Stanley Cup — a reality that topped even his loftiest childhood dreams.
“Your whole life flashes right in front of you,” he said. “You realize the work that you put in, and some of the the lows that you have to go through before winning. I think all the lows ultimately paid off at the end and you just feel this weight lifted off you, your goal and your dream coming true. The second that buzzer goes off, it’s like, ‘We did it!’ It’s just the most amazing feeling ever. It wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be. It was 10 times better. So hopefully we can do it again.”
For the third time in the last five years, Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers will begin their 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a first-round date against their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Games will kick off Saturday, April 19, with exact schedule and TV details to be announced.