Matthew Tkachuk’s Controversial Injury Return Turns Huge for Florida Panthers as Tampa Bay Lightning’s Worry Increases

Welp, looks like it’s comeback szn in the Tkachuk fam—and this time, it’s Matthew Tkachuk stepping back into the chaos. The Panthers’ golden boy just got the green light to hit the ice again after that brutal lower-body injury from the 4 Nations Face-Off had him sidelined for weeks. Florida’s official X page dropped the update with a “An update on Chucky” caption, letting fans know he’s off IR just in time to rumble with their long-time in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sounds like perfect timing for the reigning Stanley Cup champs, right? Except the hockey world isn’t exactly cheering.

See, while Florida fans are hyped, folks around the league are raising eyebrows. Like, how did Tkachuk get cleared while guys like Evander Kane are still stuck in the penalty box of medical drama? Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman spilled the tea, saying, “I’ve heard the NHL really scrutinized a number of teams late in the regular season…” And sure enough, Kane—who’s had multiple surgeries—was benched for Game 1. One fan threw some shade on X, writing, “@FriedgeHNIC thought the NHL is coming down on the LTIR rule lol I swear once the oilers do it the whole game changes.” Now with Tkachuk back and Tampa Bay sweating, it’s safe to say the Panthers just got a major glow-up.

The NHL’s official account just dropped a lil fire on X with a clip straight from Game 1 of the playoffs—captioned loud and proud, “WELCOME BACK, MATTHEW TKACHUK. He scores an absolute BEAUTY in his return to the lineup!” And honestly? They weren’t lying one bit. That shot? Pure magic, chef’s kiss.

And while the vibes were high, and the crowd was buzzing, the scoreboard had Panthers sitting pretty at 5, while the Bolts were still stuck hanging at 2. Yup, the game’s still rolling live, but if this is the comeback chapter for Matthew, he’s already writing it in bold, sparkly letters.

WELCOME BACK, MATTHEW TKACHUK

He scores an absolute BEAUTY in his return to the lineup! #StanleyCup

: @espn https://t.co/m0LyTCHYnH
: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/oERQwHxieq

— NHL (@NHL) April 23, 2025

This story is developing…

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