The Florida Panthers are gearing up for Game 3, while the Toronto Maple Leafs are already ahead in the Round 2 series, 2-0. This game is super important for the NHL franchise, but with coach Paul Maurice’s latest announcement, things are looking pretty bleak for the Panthers. If you’re wondering what went down, Luke Fox mentioned on X that “Paul Maurice says he has some game-time lineup decisions due to health.” And immediately, our thoughts hop, skip, and jump towards Matthew Tkachuk.

Wow, that’s a blow for the Panthers’ nation. On X, Jameson Olive also reported a similar update, and it seems like everyone is concerned about Matthew Tkachuk. It looks like Tkachuk might not be playing in Game 3 of round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s still burdened with that groin injury he picked up during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament back in February.

The team put him on long-term injured reserve, and there was some hope he might return for the playoffs. And he did, he even made a spectacular comeback, but all is not seemingly well with him. And the X post isn’t making things any better.

So, Tkachuk totally made his comeback in Game 1 of the playoffs after missing 25 games. He definitely made an impact in his return, scoring two power-play goals and adding an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Still, the fans know he’s capable of so much more than what we’re seeing right now. Even more concerning is the fact that during Game 2 against the Maple Leafs, Matthew Tkachuk did not look his best.

Matthew Tkachuk might have to hold this one out

“Ngl, I’ll be more surprised if Tkachuk is in rather than out,” a fan said. So far in the NHL playoffs, Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk has played in 7 games, scoring 3 goals and adding 3 assists, which gives him a total of 6 points. He’s got a plus-minus rating of 0, racked up 11 penalty minutes, and taken 11 shots on goal, with a shooting percentage of 27.3%.

Tkachuk has racked up 7 hits, 3 blocked shots, and 2 takeaways, while averaging about 15 minutes and 9 seconds of ice time each game. But that’s not really cutting it for the fans. One person even mentioned, “Poor Matthew Tkachuk, you can tell he’s trying to power through, but his groin isn’t cooperating.” Another fan chimed in, saying, “It’s gotta be Tkachuk. He is visibly not skating well. And yes, he should be out of the lineup if he’s not able to do anything productive.”

Tkachuk’s performance has been a bit of a rollercoaster, with some standout moments and a few calmer games mixed in. It really shows off his offensive skills while also highlighting the tough challenges that come with playoff competition. Even though he can perform, the fans just want him to get better and be back on the team. This fan said, “Matthew Tkachuk has no business playing until he’s fully healthy. He looks terrible. More of a detriment to the team playing at half speed than not playing at all.” This is the NHL. Rough-housing is a part and parcel of the game. A weak link (an unwell player is as good as a downed skater on ice) spells nothing but doom for the team.

Another fan chimed in, saying, “Tkachuk has to sit, just isn’t healthy enough.” Well, with all the discussions happening, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see who Maurice decides to place on the ice and who he won’t.