Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk likely out until at least December after undergoing surgery, per GM Bill Zito

Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk is likely to be out until “December-ish,” according to GM Bill Zito after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury.

Tkachuk had the surgery in late August, and though it was known that he’d miss the start of the season, Zito’s latest comments provide more of a timetable for his return. Zito, however, said it’s a hopeful timetable rather than a hard one, per team reporter Jessica Blaylock.

Tkachuk suffered a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia injury while playing for the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off, though he didn’t reveal the seriousness of the injuries until after his Panthers had won the Stanley Cup.

“I tore my adductor off the bone and had some hernia thing all on the same side,” Tkachuk said to TNT’s Darren Pang when asked about his injuries. “I wanted to throw in the towel a bunch of times.”

Tkachuk missed the final 25 games of the regular season due to the injuries, but he was on the ice for the playoffs as Florida successfully defended its title. He posted eight goals and 15 assists in the postseason, tying Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe for the team lead in points (23).

Bill Guerin, the GM for Team USA hockey at the 2026 Olympics, expects to have Tkachuk for the Games, per NHL.com. It’s the first Olympics that NHL players are participating in since Sochi in 2014. Matthew Tkachuk and his brother Brady Tkachuk were among the U.S.’s “first six” reveal back in June, along with Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy.