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FORT LAUDERDALE — Some Florida Panthers fans expressed dismay on social media when it was revealed Matthew Tkachuk (gasp!) was not working with the team during practice Saturday before his team plays the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of their playoff series.
Tkachuk, coach Paul Maurice explained, was simply getting some conditioning work with skills coach Maxim Ivanov.
After rejoining the Panthers for the playoffs, Tkachuk has not had much time to do much stuff on the side.
Saturday, he was seen skating in long strides the length of the ice, maintenance for the groin/lower body injury that cost him the final 25 games of the regular season.
Never fear, though, Tkachuk was back with his teammates to run power play drills and he is expected to be a full participant today before the team flies to Toronto.
“He actually did more today than having practiced with us,’’ Maurice said. “He’s doing some strength and conditioning stuff, you just can’t do all of it in one day. That was the key piece. Then, he got out for the special teams.”
Tkachuk, by the way, was on the Pat McAfee Show on Friday and said that he planned to get a scouting report from his brother on the Maple Leafs.
Brady Tkachuk and his Senators lost in 6 to Toronto in the first round.
Game 1 between the Panthers and Leafs is Monday at 8.
“I’ll give him a call and ask him, you know, what he saw throughout the series,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “I’ll ask a lot about individuals, like, what guys, what you can exploit with some guys, what guys maybe get a little too riled up? What guys you can get off their game, what guys are looking like they’re playing through stuff, or look a little injured, like it’s all the little stuff that I’ll ask him.
“And, you know, it’s playoffs — you [try] every advantage you can get, and it’s nice. It’s nice having, you know, my brother that has just played them. He’ll give me the honest truth.”
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