Matthew Tkachuk a full participant at Panthers practice ahead of Game 1

The defending Stanley Cup champions are getting some needed reinforcements heading into the first round of the playoffs.

On Saturday, Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk was seen participating in full practice for the first time since getting placed on long-term injured reserve.

It was a positive sight as the Panthers are just a few days away from their opening-round series against their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a posteason edition of the Battle of Florida.

Tkachuck was seen wearing the Panthers’ top six white jerseys during the skate. He was taking line rushes on the right wing of Sam Bennett, with Mackie Samoskevich on the left.

It has been a long road for Tkachuk to get back to the level of health to be a part of the team’s regular practice. The 27-year-old suffered a lower-body injury in the second game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Though he returned to play in the championship game against Canada, he was unable to finish the game, which the United States lost to Canada in overtime.

Tkachuk was put on LTIR shortly thereafter. He hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since Feb. 8.

Despite missing a lot of time, Tkachuk is still one of the top producers on the Florida roster. In 52 games, he scored 22 goals and 35 assists, with his 57 points putting him third on the team in scoring. He, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart were the three Panther regulars to have averaged a point per game during the regular season.

Tkachuk’s impending return to the lineup is a massive boost for the Cats. The team slipped from contending for the Atlantic Division title to losing home-ice advantage for the first round against the Bolts. With Tkachuk and Barkov missing considerable time, the team struggled to find consistency over the past month. Tkachuk’s antangonizing style will be key if the Panthers want to beat the Lightning for the second straight time in the playoffs.

Game 1 between the Panthers and Lightning is set for Tuesday, April 22, at Amalie Arena in Tampa.