Panthers Coach Paul Maurice Provides Updates On A Trio Of Key Players
The Florida Panthers' injury list never seems to give in, as Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell could all possibly play tomorrow, or they could all miss the game.
Video Transcript
Right.
Now, follow-up question here, and I'll toss this.
This, this can go to either of you.
Knowing what we know about Matthew Tkachuk, you know, a player who even if he shouldn't be on the ice, for a, an important game, like a Stanley Cup Final or an Olympics, is there any worry that he pushes himself too hard and gets hurt, either at the Olympics or right before the Olympics?
I think there's a concern that he- exactly what you just described, Brian, because there's I, I think he's either in the lineup and he's going 100%, or he's out of the lineup because his body, literally, he can't even stand up.
And to that end, like, he had his brother dressing him before Stanley Cup Final games a couple years ago- ... or three years ago.
So, you know, it's gonna take, you know, literally broken bones and him not even being able to kind of get to the rink for him to miss any games.
So that's not a concern that he'll miss anything, it's just you want him at 100%.
You know, to Drew's point- Yeah ... you know, a Matthew Tkachuk for Team USA is bad news for the rest of the world.
you know, one Tkachuk is bad enough.
The fact that they've got two on that, roster is just, you know, it, it's gotta strike fear, and that, it's partly why Canada's bringing Tom Wilson along for the ride.
so- Yeah, will Tkachuk get injured between now and then?
Most likely.
Will he miss any time?
No.
Probably not.
That's some great math, by the way.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I mean, I think, I think he is, and I mean, I think you looked at what he's done in the last two kinda playoffs in general.
I mean, he could barely skate- Yeah ... but he still found ways to really impact the game.
Now, where I think it gets a little bit tricky, and I actually loved talking to a lot of my friends who are now coaches, was, like, the spot that he was in during that Four Nations Final.
Because that was not a time where he was at 70 or 80%.
He was clearly at, like, 10 to 15%.
Like, I think he, I think he, I think he might have played a couple minutes in that game.
Like, he clearly- Yeah ... took a couple shifts, left those shifts early.
And I think they ended up scratching, I think it was maybe Kyle Connor during that- Yes ... game.
So it's like I, I, I love talking to some of the coaches I know just about that spot, because like you said, and you don't really know, right?
Like, it's not like there's a checklist where Matthew Tkachuk can tell you, "He's at 75%."
Now, at 50 or 75%, I agree with you where it gets tricky, especially as a coach in this situation, like the Four Nations Final, is if he's closer to 10 or 20%, what do you do there?
So- Yeah ...
I mean, there's always an injury risk with how hard he plays.
Like Michael said, it looked like he almost got in a fight with that, San Jose Sharks defenseman in front of the net, that kinda led all the way up the ice, on the back check.
So I mean, that's the way he plays.
There's always gonna be an injury risk, and I'm just hoping- ... he can stay healthy through, the next month and a half.
There you go.
Fun fact, the first- Do, hey, do your friends think that that was the right decision, then, like, having him dressed instead of Kyle Connor?
You know what?
So it was a very split opinion.
And I talked to some very high-profile coaches on this, who had very different opinions on it.
And I think obviously, the one side of it is that line wasn't gonna play a lot in general.
Okay.
So you know what I mean?
So his value adding it to the roster Now, like you said, I mean, Kyle Connor's scored a bazillion goals over the last couple years, and I mean- Yeah ... one shot can decide that game, which Kyle Connor's proven he can be the difference maker in.
So it, it's a tough situation, and I think that, I mean, there's just so many tough situations, especially with how many good players all these teams have.
and I mean, the Americans win there, right?
It was the right decision, because he brought the morale up on the bench and his leadership.
They lose, and now people are talking that Kyle Connor could've had one shot or one chance that could've ch- ended that game.
