After assigning star Matthew Tkachuk to the NHL’s long-term injured reserve (LTIR), the Florida Panthers and its General Manager Bill Zito have now announced the expected timeline for the winger. Tkachuk is dealing with a groin injury sustained during the league’s best-on-best 4 Nations.
The Panthers may be without one of their best players and most vocal leaders, but they aren’t backing down in their fight for NHL supremacy. The Cats have pulled off a stunning trade for former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones, putting them in prime position to defend their Stanley Cup title.
The Panthers have parted ways with top goalie prospect Spencer Knight, who has put together a remarkable season behind Sergei Bobrovsky. With the backup goaltender situation now a major question mark in Sunrise, the team has some flexibility after placing Matthew Tkachuk on LTIR, freeing up cap space that could be used to acquire a goaltender
Assigning Tkachuk to the LTIR, meant Zito and the Panthers believed he wouldn’t be back for the regular season, and the GM in South Florida has now announced the expected timeline for the star player.
Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers celebrates with the Stanley Cup following a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game Seven of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida.
“Matthew’s going to be out for an extended period of time. We hope to get him back for the playoffs,” Bill Zito announced during media availability, via Panthers Sr. Digital Content Manager Jameson Olive.
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The Bill Zito experience
Though opinions differ on the Seth Jones trade, especially considering the blueliner’s high contract and the return the Panthers gave away, Zito has earned the benefit of the doubt in Sunrise.
Shortly after getting the GM job for the Panthers, Zito shocked the league, completing the biggest blockbuster trade in NHL’s recent history. Just months after a Presidents’ Trophy title, the Cats shipped Jonathan Huberdeau (who had been a Hart Trophy finalist) and MacKenzie Weegar to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk.
The move raised many eyebrows, and most analysts believed the Flames won the trade at the moment. Almost three years later, there are no doubts who the real winners of that trade were, and they now have a Stanley Cup championship banner to show for it.
Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers stands during the national anthem before the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 26, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
History repeats itself
Something similar happens with the Jones trade, with many stating Chicago came out on top. It’s still early to tell, but the Panthers will be looking to prove people wrong during the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs. Zito made his thoughts clear with a concise statement.
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“I like our team. I’m happy with our team,” Zito stated. “But if we can get better, we get better. That’s what we do.”
