Tkachuk: 'I tried to give everything' to Panthers while playing through injury
Matthew Tkachuk says he did what he could under the circumstances while playing hurt during the Stanley Cup Final.
The Florida Panthers star missed Game 5 - which the Vegas Golden Knights won to claim the title Tuesday - after sustaining a broken sternum in Game 3 on a hit from Keegan Kolesar. Tkachuk returned to that contest and scored to tie the Panthers' eventual overtime victory late in the third, then played the Game 4 loss before sitting out the season-ending defeat.
"I'm happy that I was able to attempt and play that (Game 4), but I knew I wasn't myself," Tkachuk said Thursday, according to NHL.com's Alain Poupart. "There were 12 better options than me for forwards basically at that point. I knew (I) wasn't myself, but I tried to give everything. I can hold my head high knowing that I did everything possible to try to play."
Tkachuk confirmed he couldn't dress himself for Game 4 and that his brother Brady, the Ottawa Senators captain, had to help him get to the rink.
"The next few days (after Game 3) were pretty tough," the Panthers winger said. "Just getting in and out of bed. Needed help getting onto a table here to get treatment, but everybody played a huge part in getting me to play that game.
"I mean, my brother was staying with me and had to get me out of bed and get me dressed to come to the rink, and I had guys tie my skates and putting on my jersey and just helping me with everything."
The Hart Trophy finalist added Thursday that he hadn't experienced an injury like this before.
"(Stinks) that it had to happen, especially at that time, but most guys were playing through stuff," he said. "It's just the way playoffs are and (a) long season. We've been playing for 10 months or 100 games, so guys have dealt with stuff all year, but yeah, this one is new for me."
Tkachuk was instrumental in helping Florida reach the Cup Final for the first time since 1996. He ranked among the league leaders in scoring while posting exceptional underlying numbers during the regular season, then led the Panthers with 24 points in 20 playoff games.