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Matthew Tkachuk has come down with an illness and will not be available for the defending champion Florida Panthers today. After a disappointing 1-2-0 start to the season, things will be a little more difficult for the Panthers against the Boston Bruins without their star player.
Per NHL insider Katie Engleson, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed that Tkachuk would be out of the lineup on Monday, October 14. The coach also noted that the star player might be out for as long as a week as he recovers from his illness.
The 26-year-old winger has already missed one game with illness and could miss a few more. Tkachuk had recorded two assists in the two games played for the Panthers this year, but he has been held without a goal despite seven attempts.
Eetu Luostarinen will likely be the top-line replacement and play big minutes without Tkachuk in the lineup, but Carter Verhaeghe could also see an increase in playing time. Depending on how long the Panthers expect to be without Tkachuk, a brief IR stint could be in order.
Paul Maurice opens up on Panthers roster without Matthew Tkachuk, Alexander Barkov
Matthew Tkachuk has missed one game already, a loss to the Buffalo Sabres, and will miss at least a couple more. Aleksander Barkov, another Florida Panthers star, is out for the foreseeable future with a lower leg injury.
Paul Maurice, whose team is 0-1 now without those two players in the lineup, said via NHL that his team is capable of absorbing the losses:
“We’ve won a bunch of hockey games in the past without them in our lineup. We have to play a style of game that will allow that to happen. I think we were at that in our first two [games], but we weren’t tonight.”
Defenseman Nate Schmidt added:
“We have what we need in this room. It sucks not having two of your best players, but you know what’s already in here. Now it’s time for the guys to pick up the slack. Those are guys that are irreplaceable, but we have the guys that can go out and replicate.”
The Panthers take on the Bruins in Boston today at 1 p.m. EST.
