Matthew Tkachuk is as rugged as they come. At 27 years old, the NHL winger hardly ever has time to let physical troubles get in the way of his determination to give his best on the ice. Remember THAT Game 3 performance against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final? After being pulled by the concussion spotter following a hit by Keegan Kolesar, Tkachuk came back to score the late equalizer. Antics like that have made the Scottsdale, Arizona, native a fan favorite in Miami. But it looks like some bruises just can’t be kept under the rug for longer.

The final stretches of the NHL‘s 2024-25 regular season saw Chucky sitting on the sidelines. After an injury incurred at February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, the Cats’ star took time off the ice to recuperate from the blow. However, he was back at it once the playoffs began. And still, his lingering injury kept making its presence felt all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. But Tkachuk knew sooner or later, he would need to find a permanent solution to the problem. That time is now.

On July 15, NHL Rumour Report took to X to share an update on Tkachuk’s condition. As per the social media update, the reigning Cup winner might be available in the roster till the holiday season. “There’s a possibility that Matthew Tkachuk’s injury may need corrective surgery which could keep him out through the Christmas break,” NHL Rumour Report quoted Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos as saying.

But we’d wager Tkachuk knew this was coming. “I’ve got to go through some steps here and then see if I need surgery or not. It’s going to take a few weeks to determine if I need it. It’s probably 50-50, right now. I don’t know if it’ll be a normal summer or not,” Tkachuk was already sounding anxious after the Panthers’ Cup victory last month. Well, it seems now that those probabilities have changed, and not to Chucky’s delight.

But it will be a break that Tkachuk has earned. Despite his injuries, the South Florida representative posted 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in 52 regular-season games, while racking up 23 points in 23 playoff matches. No wonder coach Paul Maurice couldn’t stop being optimistic about Matthew’s performance in the playoffs, even as the star himself wasn’t sure if he’d be fit in time for it. “I think the last three games he’s played have been the best of the playoffs by far,” the coach told reporters before the Finals’ Game 6 about how the celebrity winger can always be counted upon. What’s more? Tkachuk managed to score one goal in the Panthers’ massive 5-1 win in the game to secure their second straight Stanley Cup. And now, it’s time to pay the dues.

But, truth be told, he did incur quite a bit of debt to the hockey gods.

Matthew Tkachuk’s injury trail this season goes way back

When you play hockey, you know injuries like bolts from the blue can derail entire plans. For Chucky, this almost came true once again this season. At the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, the USA squared off against their northern neighbors in both teams’ second match of the tournament.

At the Bell Centre on February 15, Chucky was one of the six players from both the USA and Canada squads who got into three separate fistfights within the first nine seconds of the game. The match undoubtedly started off with a bang, literally! But it was also the same match where the winger picked up his lower-body injury and had to stay away from the rink for the final 12:36 of the third period. And that was just the beginning of his troubles.

Matthew missed both the remaining matches, against Sweden and Canada (in the final) of the 4 Nations, owing to his injuries. Many would even suspect it was Tkachuk’s absence from the lineup that caused the USA to accept defeat to the Canadians in the final match of the international competition. But that wasn’t the end of his problems.

Tkachuk returned to the Cats’ locker room, but couldn’t lace up all the way to April, when the regular season wrapped. And as the defending champs prepared for the playoffs, Tkachuk was once again back. While some fans did note their cynicism over how the NHL turned a blind eye to Matthew being available for the postseason despite being marked as LTIR for the last game of the regular season, it didn’t take Matthew long to shut the haters down.

But all that mental strength has now taken its toll. But how soon do you hope to see Matthew Tkachuk back in his regular habitat again? Share your predictions with us below!