Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad Battled Gruesome Injuries During Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Vegas Golden Knights secured their first Stanley Cup in franchise history on Tuesday, defeating the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5. But a few injury designations to star players stole headlines following the series-clinching win.
While speaking to reporters post-game, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice revealed Matthew Tkachuk – deemed unavailable for Game 5 – suffered a broken sternum in Game 3 after a hit from Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar. But he somehow finished the contest.
Not only did he remain in the game, but the 25-year-old scored the game-tying goal late in the third period, paving the way for teammate Carter Verhaeghe’s overtime winner. He also managed to suit up for Game 4, though he laboured and played just four shifts in the final frame.
That, however, wouldn’t have been possible if not for the assistance Tkachuk received from Florida’s team personnel before puck drop.
“He didn’t dress himself for (Game 4),” Maurice said post-game. “Somebody helped him get his gear on, somebody tied his skates, somebody put his sweater on for him. But the next day when he came in he was in significant pain.
“So, there wasn’t really a question of whether he’d be able to play or not.”
Tkachuk was among the Panthers’ most valuable players during their magical playoff run, leading the team in goals (11) and points (24) across 20 postseason games. He also finished tied with Verhaeghe for the club lead in game-winning goals (four).
The All-Star forward’s inaugural campaign with Florida was a huge success, notching 40 goals and a career-high 109 points over 79 games during the regular season. Unsurprisingly, he also surpassed his previous career high in penalty minutes with 123.
The former Calgary Flame, acquired in a blockbuster deal last summer, wasn’t the only Panther battling a significant injury during these playoffs, though. Tkachuk was “one of four guys with broken bones,” as Maurice noted, with a few likely to miss the start of next season.
Aaron Ekblad was among those playing hurt, as the star defenceman broke his foot in Florida’s first-round matchup versus the Boston Bruins in mid-April. But that’s not all. The 27-year-old also dislocated his shoulder twice and tore his oblique muscle.
“Aaron Ekblad broke his foot in the Boston series,” Maurice said. “Then he popped his shoulder out twice, passed a concussion test, tore his oblique, and went out on the ice the other night, drove the puck into the offensive zone, tied the game, and he scored tonight [Tuesday].
“They gave everything they had.”
Despite his long list of injuries, Ekblad appeared in 20 of Florida’s 21 playoff games this season, missing only Game 4 against Boston. In total, he notched two goals and eight points, ranking third among Panthers skaters in average ice time (23:57).
The first overall selection from 2014 posted 14 goals and 38 points over 71 regular-season contests in his ninth season with the Panthers. Due to his low offensive production, he registered his lowest points per game rate (0.54) since 2018-19 (0.45).
Ekblad signed an eight-year, $60-million contract with Florida ahead of the 2016-17 season, which carries a $7.5 million cap hit per year and runs through 2024-25. His deal also includes a no-move clause in 2023-24, transitioning to a 12-team no-trade clause the following year.
The Panthers’ unexpected ascension to the Stanley Cup Final came up short, though they’ll attempt to return even stronger next season in search of their first-ever championship.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @ThomasHall85
Photo: Jenn G. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.