Already playing without team captain Sasha Barkov, the Panthers will need to dig deep with Tkachuk missing the next week
Already playing without team captain Sasha Barkov, the Panthers will need to dig deep with Tkachuk missing the next week
It’s been a challenging start to the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup title defense.
In the span of a couple days, all within the first week of the season, Florida has seen its captain suffer a lower-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup for several weeks, and now we’re learning another key member of the Panthers forward group will be out for multiple games.
Star winger Matthew Tkachuk was held out of Saturday’s 5-2 loss in Buffalo due to an illness.
On Monday morning, less than three hours ahead of Florida’s 1 p.m. showdown with the Boston Bruins, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice revealed more about Tkachuk.
His illness is going to keep him out of Florida’s lineup for the next few games, after which Maurice is hopeful that Tkachuk will be ready to return.
“I think we’re shooting for Minnesota at home, a week from tomorrow,” Maurice said.
Florida played without both Tkachuk and Barkov on Saturday, and the team looked far from its usual, fast and physically imposing self.
Due to the Cats being up against the salary cap, their options for the roster are limited.
Maurice dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen during the loss in Buffalo, and that’s what he’ll be going with again in Boston Monday.
Defenseman Uvis Balinskis will take some shifts at forward, Maurice said.
Without Tkachuk and Barkov, and limited by the cap, the Panthers will need to adjust, and quickly, if they want to pick up some points in the short term.
Should Tkachuk return for Florida’s home game against the Minnesota wild on Tuesday, Oct. 22, it would mean he’ll miss the Panthers next four games, including Monday in Boston.
The Cats play in Columbus on Tuesday before returning to South Florida to host Vancouver on Thursday and Vegas on Saturday.
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