The Florida Panthers welcomed back Matthew Tkachuk to practice Sunday for the first time this season, more than four months after he had surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
Tkachuk hasn’t played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, when the Panthers won their second straight championship by beating the Edmonton Oilers. He spent the summer trying to rehab the injuries but eventually decided surgery was necessary.
The 25-year-old forward wore a yellow non-contact jersey during practice, meaning he’s not ready for game action yet.
Florida hosts Washington on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday before playing the New York Rangers in the NHL Winter Classic at the Miami Marlins’ ballpark on Friday.
Great seeing Chucky back on the ice pic.twitter.com/PPFFFLRXFY
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) December 28, 2025
The Panthers are scheduled to practice at the ballpark Thursday.
After Florida’s championship in June, Tkachuk revealed he sustained the injuries while playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He missed the final 25 games of the regular season but returned for Game 1 of the Panthers’ first-round series against Tampa Bay.
Tkachuk posted 23 points — eight goals and 15 assists — in 23 playoff games, including seven points in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers have dealt with multiple key injuries all season, including captain Aleksander Barkov. They entered Sunday tied for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, just five points behind the Atlantic Division lead.
Florida operated all season with expectations that Tkachuk would return on a “December-ish” timeline.
He’s expressed interest in playing in the Winter Classic — the Panthers’ first outdoor game — and representing Team USA at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.
