Matthew Tkachuk Revealed as NHL 26 Cover Star After Panthers' Stanley Cup Win

Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk will grace the cover of NHL 26, EA Sports' next installment in the long-running video game series.

He's the first Panthers player to be on the primary cover since goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck with NHL 97.

The news comes months after Florida successfully defended its Stanley Cup title, a moment that's now immortalized by EA Sports.

Tkachuk battled a lower-body injury through the second half of the regular season and was limited to 52 appearances. He finished with 22 goals and 35 assists, both still ranking third on the team.

Leading up to the postseason, the 27-year-old's status was still in flux.

"Matthew's played with some injuries," coach Paul Maurice said. "We weren't hopeful at the start that he would survive the first round. Just didn't think he could do it. But what he does so well is he's so smart."

Tkachuk was on the ice for all of Florida's 23 playoff contests despite tearing his adductor muscle completely off the bone. He had three goals and three assists in the final three games of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers.

In addition to his success with the Panthers, Tkachuk was an alternate captain for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The U.S. advanced out of the round-robin stage before losing 3-2 in overtime to Canada.

Should the Arizona native undergo surgery to fully address his adductor injury, he could be unavailable as the Panthers open the 2025-26 season. That's a small price to pay in service of becoming a two-time Stanley Cup champion.