The Florida Panthers will once again be without Anton Lundell and Matthew Tkachuk tonight against the New York Rangers, but there is still some hope they return for the season finale.
The Florida Panthers take the ice tonight for Game 81 of the season, doing so against Jonathan Quick and the New York Rangers.
Tonight will be Quick’s final NHL game of his career, as he will be retiring at the season’s end. The 40-year-old is a three-time Stanley Cup winner, a Con Smythe Trophy winner, and an Olympic silver medalist. Quick is also the all-time American-born NHL goaltender with the most wins.
On the Panther side, they’ll ice another depleted lineup, one that will not feature Matthew Tkachuk and Anton Lundell once again.
Tkachuk left the team last Tuesday due to the birth of their first child and has not yet returned. Coach Paul Maurice addressed this during his media availability after practice.
Maurice said Tkachuk had another long night, but by the sounds of it, congratulations are in order. He also mentioned that Tkachuk will likely return to the lineup on Wednesday for the season finale against the Detroit Red Wings.
As for Lundell, he practiced for the first time today and could be available on Wednesday, but it remains unlikely. Maurice mentioned that Lundell can return if he is 100 percent, but there’s no guarantee he’ll get there in time after so much time without contact.
With the game having zero meaning for the Panthers, there is no reason to play Lundell and risk further injury.
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