Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk will miss an “extended period” due to injury, general manager Bill Zito announced Monday. The 57-point scorer was hurt during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February and has not skated since.
Tkachuk’s absence will also impact the team’s salary cap, as he is on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). With Tkachuk out, the Panthers can focus on their remaining games before the playoffs. The team currently sits second in the Atlantic Division, one point behind Toronto.
To fill the void left by Tkachuk, the Panthers acquired defenseman Seth Jones in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Jones is expected to make his debut Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and has high hopes of fitting in with the team.
Source: https://www.nhl.com/news/florida-panthers-matthew-tkachuk-injury-status-update-march-3