As the Florida Panthers gear up for a potential back-to-back Stanley Cup triumph, a surprising revelation from Matthew Tkachuk has cast new light on their playoff journey. Just days before a crucial Game 6 showdown with the Edmonton Oilers, Tkachuk admitted he was dangerously close to missing the postseason altogether, battling through an injury that nearly sidelined him for the opening round.

Despite the uncertainty and pain, he has emerged as a driving force for the Panthers, contributing key goals and points when it mattered most. His resilience and determination have inspired both teammates and fans, further fueling Florida’s confidence as they stand on the brink of hockey immortality. With Tkachuk now feeling healthier than ever, his journey from doubt to dominance adds a dramatic twist to the Panthers’ quest for another championship, making their story one of grit, perseverance, and unexpected heroics.

Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Matthew Tkachuk is just one win away from helping the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cups, but now he admits he almost wasn’t ready to play in the post-season.

The Florida Panthers are heading into Game 6 on Tuesday night with a 3-2 advantage, and on the back of two blowout wins in their last three games, it’s safe to say that confidence is high, even against this incredibly talented Edmonton Oilers team.

While all the attention for Florida has been on the duo of Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand, their biggest stars are performing as well, including Matthew Tkachuk, who has a solid 7 goals and 15 points in 22 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs thus far.

His latest admission may make that production even more impressive as well, as he revealed on Monday that he wasn’t even sure if he’d be ready for the first-round this season due to injury, but fought through the pain to take the ice with his team.

“I didn’t know if I was gonna come back at the start, and kind of found out the day before I was gonna have a chance to play day of… the first round was definitely the worst I felt by far.

Now I’m feeling the best I’ve felt. So personally, I’m very happy with where the health is and everything, and just very lucky that I’m able to be playing. I did not think I was going to be playing.”

According to Tkachuk, there was a 50% chance he wasn’t going to play in round one against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but as we’ve seen in previous playoff runs, he battled hard to get back on the ice and produce for the Panthers.

There’s still one more hurdle to clear, but if the Panthers can do that and hoist the Stanley Cup for the second straight season, given what he’s been through, Tkachuk will cement himself as a franchise icon, with much more success to come in the following years.