After Matthew Tkachuk took the ice for the first time since his lower-body injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off, a star Florida Panthers teammate of Brad Marchand made a strong statement.

© Ethan Miller/Getty Images Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers is interviewed during Media Day for the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on June 02, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Amid a deflating form in the 2024-25 NHL season, mired in an abyss of injuries, the Florida Panthers received a big morale boost as Matthew Tkachuk skated for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury during the 4 Nations. Following the team’s morning skate, a star teammate of Brad Marchand in Florida voiced a key admission about Tkachuk’s recovery and its impact in the locker room.

The Panthers haven’t felt like themselves as of late in the NHL. With the roster dealing with crucial absences on the lineup, their recent form hasn’t been the ideal for the squad hoping to go back-to-back after last season’s Stanley Cup Final victory.

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs looming on the horizon, the Panthers want every player available for their title defense. Marchand made his debut in Florida during the team’s 2-1 overtime win over the UTAH Hockey Club, being a key addition to the roster.

However, Aaron Ekblad (suspended), Dmitry Kulikov, and Matthew Tkachuk remain sidelined, leaving big voids to fill for Paul Maurice’s side. As Tkachuk put on the skates for the first time since February, Marchand’s star teammate Sam Reinhart issued a powerful statement.

Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers warms up prior to a game against the Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.

“It‘s huge,” Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said, per Miami Herald. “Hopefully, you can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and get someone like that back in the lineup. It’s a positive thing. Certainly sounds like a step in the right direction if he’s out there.”

A long way from playing, still

While seeing Tkachuk on the ice before the Panthers’ practice was thrilling and a major morale boost, head coach Paul Maurice struck a more measured tone, emphasizing that the star forward still has a long recovery ahead.

“There’s no conditioning to it because he’s not there yet,” Maurice stated. “You can do off-ice things to try to mitigate some of the conditioning losses, but he is going to have to get into some significant skates here.”

Sam Reinhart #13 of the Florida Panthers celebrates his first period goal against the Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.

Aiming for playoff time

Tkachuk’s timeline remains unchanged following his first skate since the injury. Maurice and the Panthers are aiming and hoping for Tkachuk to join Marchand and the rest of the team when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on April 19.

“That’s what we’re shooting for,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice added. “Depending on when those games get scheduled may have an impact on that.”