Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk told NHL.com’s Dan Rosen that he has fully recovered from the broken sternum that sidelined him late in the Stanley Cup Final back in June. He sustained the injury in the third game of the series and found a way to play the fourth before doctors shut him down. The 25-year-old followed up his breakout campaign in 2021-22 with an even better showing last season, finishing tied for sixth in league scoring with 109 points. Florida is expected to be without key blueliners Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour for a while – Tkachuk speculated about a late-December return for each of them – so they will be leaning heavily on their offensive star when the season gets underway next month.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- While there was some hope that the sale of the Senators to Michael Andlauer would be finalized by now, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes that this is no longer the case. While there isn’t believed to be any issue – the financing is secure and he has already received approval from the NHL’s Executive Committee – things are moving slower than expected. Now, the hope is that the sale will be made official by Monday.
- The Flames haven’t ruled out bringing in someone on a tryout in the coming days, relays Sportsnet’s Eric Francis (Twitter link). While GM Craig Conroy has expressed a desire to let some of Calgary’s younger prospects push for a spot on the roster after not getting too many looks last season, a veteran willing to take the league minimum could give that player a leg up over a youngster on a more expensive entry-level deal. That difference could be notable as Calgary is one of many teams that project to be close to the cap line this season.