Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk played his last regular-season game of the 2024-25 season on Feb. 8 against the Ottawa Senators due to injury. He returned to action at the start of the playoffs, which Tkachuk openly admitted he was not sure he would be able to play until shortly before the post-season began.

The Panthers certainly benefited with Tkachuk in the lineup during their Stanley Cup championship run, as he thrived this post-season. In 23 games, the 6-foot-2 winger posted eight goals, 23 points, and a plus-7 rating. This included recording three goals and seven points in six games in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. 

Following the Panthers' Game 6 win, Tkachuk revealed his injuries, and they were certainly serious ones. While speaking to TNT Sports' Darren Pang, the Panthers star shared that he tore his adductor off the bone and had a hernia on the same side. 

"I tore my adductor off the bone and then had some hernia thing all on the same side. I wanted to throw in the towel a bunch of times," Tkachuk said. "I gotta thank a bunch of people for getting me healthy enough. I'm sure I wasn't the easiest to deal with. My fiancee did a great job with that on days when I probably wasn't in the best mood coming to the rink. My trainers, maybe when I wasn't in the best mood, when I was in pain. I just owe them so much."

Tkachuk once again said he wasn't sure if we would be able to play this post-season and then said he felt better as the playoffs continued. 

"I really didn't think I would be playing, or at least playing to my capabilities. The longer the playoffs went, the better I felt. I owe that to the guys for giving me some wiggle room to feel good."

Now, Tkachuk's hard work to getting healthy paid off big time, as he is a Stanley Cup champion for the second year in a row and was one of Florida's top contributors in the process. 

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