Panthers forward Tomas Nosek will also miss "months" of the upcoming season after suffering a knee injury this offseason, Zito told reporters. Zito estimated Tkachuk would be out "until December-ish," per Panthers radio announcer Doug Plagens. Tkachuk, who was hurt during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, returned for the postseason and played through injury during the Panthers' run to a second straight Stanley Cup. Nosek has also undergone surgery on his injury, Zito told reporters (h/t Florida Hockey Now's George Richards). Losing key players to injuries isn't a surprise for the Panthers, given how much hockey the team has played since 2022.