Maple Leafs Get Unexpected Boost After Major Update on Panthers Star Matthew Tkachuk

Florida is coming off their second straight Stanley Cup victory and it was in large part to the dynasty they've created with Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad, Sergei Bobrovsky, Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk.

Regarding the latter, he was a big part of Florida making a run in the playoffs but found himself injured for the majority of it, given he tore his adductor clean off the bone and had a sports hernia injury on the same side; suffered during his time at the 4 Nations.

The injury didn't hold him back, however it's clear he needs to get looked at and is going to need some surgery in order to repair his broken body. While there's been a delay due to his wedding, it seems that it will be happening any moment.

Which is why his timeline, according to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, doesn't look good for the Panthers though it's not a complete loss altogether:

If he's back in time for the Olympics that gives him a February deadline, but that also means he is going to miss over half the season.

Bad news for the Panthers indeed, but for the Toronto Maple Leafs; it could be the big break they needed.

If they can come out of the gate flying and get a leg up on the Panthers, then its going to be an even tougher battle for Florida, especially with Ottawa, Montreal, and Tampa Bay nipping at their heels.

If the Panthers start to slip or if they end up dealing with more injuries early on, it's fair game for the Maple Leafs to come in and pick the bones. There should be no mercy when it comes to the Panthers, and Toronto can't take the foot off the gas; especially when these two face off.

The one caveat is that Tkachuk is likely to return before the end of the season, and while there is no guarantee he can make an impact like he normally does; just having him around is scary enough.

It will be a good indicator of who is going to fight for top spot in the Atlantic by the time Tkachuk comes back, and the Panthers are just praying that when he does they aren't sitting in an unfavorable position.