In today’s NHL rumour rundown, the Florida Panthers’ star player, Matthew Tkachuk, is still undecided about his offseason surgery. Elsewhere, Elias Pettersson (the forward) is looking for a big season in 2025-26 with the Vancouver Canucks, and wants revenge on last season. Finally, it appears that the New Jersey Devils and Luke Hughes are looking to get a long-term extension done.
Tkachuk Undecided on Offseason Surgery
In an interview with ESPN and Greg Wyshynski, Tkachuk revealed that he is still undecided on whether he will receive offseason surgery or not. Coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, Tkachuk was dealing with a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia, which held him out for the rest of the regular season. At the end of the playoffs, head coach Paul Maurice stated that Tkachuk was a mess health-wise.
On last week’s episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman reported that Tkachuk may miss some time, but didn’t have the details available as to what the circumstances were or exactly how long it would be.
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Wyshynski’s report states that Tkachuk could miss “two or three months” if he does opt to have the surgery. While it isn’t common for a superstar-caliber player to wait this long into the offseason to have an operation, in the case of Tkachuk, it makes sense. Both injuries can heal with time, but may also need operations. For Tkachuk, waiting to see how his recovery went over the offseason before making the executive decision is fair.
Some are pointing to the delay as a long-term injured reserve workaround, but that likely isn’t the case. If it were a full-season thing, maybe, but in this case, a two- to three-month recovery time won’t help the Panthers with getting more salary on the books. Tkachuk is expected to be available for the 2026 Olympics in Milan and will not want to miss out.
Through all of the talks surrounding the Canucks over the past year, whether it be about the reported feud between Pettersson and J.T Miller, Quinn Hughes’ future, or the future of Rick Tocchet, it was a chaotic season for the organization. Now, their superstar center, who is coming off a career-low in points-per-game, scoring just 45 points, is looking to prove to everybody that it was a one-off.
When speaking with Peter Ekholm of NHL.com, Pettersson stated that he wants revenge and is not happy with how last season went. While that isn’t the best-kept secret in the world, hearing it from a player isn’t common. Pettersson stated that he is healthy, training his hardest, and has put on some muscle this offseason.
Pettersson has faced criticism about being “soft, lean, and undersized”, and it is clear that he hears those things. He said that it was a priority for him to add some weight and muscle this offseason, and on top of his on-ice training, he should be in a strong position to thrive this season.
On top of his own game, Pettersson remains committed to ensuring the team is getting what they need from him, stating, “I’m trying to lead by example. But I know that I can become a better leader in that aspect. I’m trying my best, but also trying to get better.”
Devils & Hughes Working on Long-Term Deal
On the Halford & Brough podcast, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox joined as a guest, and when speaking on the youngest Hughes brother, he stated that he believes the two sides are looking at a long-term deal, rather than a bridge deal as many anticipated. With over 44 points in each of his first two seasons, Hughes has been establishing himself a great defensive option for the Devils, and they are looking to get him locked down.
The Devils did the same with fellow teammate and brother to Luke, Jack Hughes, signing him to an eight-year deal, and it is now one of the best deals in the league. While Luke Hughes may not command the $8 million Jack got quite yet, he is certainly on a trajectory to deserve that in the next few seasons.
Hughes is one of the few remaining restricted free agents expected to sign, and according to Fox, both sides are looking for a seven-year deal. While the salary details aren’t being reported alongside the term, if the dollar figure was too far apart, they would have likely moved to a bridge deal by now.
