Photo credit: ESPN

Matthew Tkachuk’s return is on the horizon, and after his latest comments, it appears he could be back for game one despite recent comments from Paul Maurice.

The Florida Panthers have a massive first-round matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning looming in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it appears they may be on the verge of getting a major boost.

Earlier this week, Head Coach Paul Maurice had some slightly optimistic comments to make about Matthew Tkachuk’s potential return, and while he didn’t confirm a timeline, he revealed that Game One remains the target.

«This week is really important for him. He’s not that far off, If he’s not ready for Game 1, he’s very, very close. We’re not missing this by two weeks.

Now, Tkachuk himself was a guest on the Up and Adams Show on ESPN with Kay Adams, and during the appearance, he was much more optimistic about a return, revealing how he’s been feeling as of late.

«I think I’d get in trouble if I said (when I’ll play again). I will say it’s been very good the last probably few days on the ice. I’ve really only been on the ice for a couple days with, like, legit skates, so I’m just trying to peak sometime around Game 1. So, I’m looking forward to it.»

With Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Aleksander Barkov all expected to be at 100% for the Stanley Cup Playoffs after recent injuries, the Panthers will come into this series with plenty of hope, but they’ll do so against a team that many see as the favourite in the Eastern Conference.

Ultimately though, Maurice may not be happy with how much Tkachuk revealed on his latest appearance on ESPN, but at the end of the day it’s positive news from Tkachuk, who is feeling good and should be ready for game one, and even if he’s not at 100%, his presence on the ice will do this team much more good than harm as they look to make it three straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances.