After a long wait, the Ottawa Senators are finally back in the Stanley Cup postseason, marking their return to championship contention for the first time since 2017. This long-awaited moment for the franchise and its fans could be overshadowed by the uncertainty surrounding the availability of their captain and top player, Brady Tkachuk, for the playoffs.
Tkachuk has been the Senators’ offensive engine this season, leading the team with 29 goals and 55 points in 71 games played. However, the battle-hardened captain has missed the past five games after taking a hard hit from Pittsburgh Penguins defender Ryan Graves in a game on March 30. Despite his absence, the Senators managed to secure their postseason berth on Tuesday, drawing a mix of relief and concern among the fans.
Senators general manager Steve Staios addressed Tkachuk’s situation on Wednesday, offering a cautious perspective on his fitness. While Staios expressed optimism, noting that the captain would likely be fit to play if the playoffs started immediately, he also refrained from providing a definitive answer. What seems clear is that Tkachuk will not return for the remainder of the regular season, prioritizing his recovery for the postseason.
“He continues to progress,” Staios said, via NHL.com. “Now that we’ve clinched a playoff spot, I think every team goes through these discussions. Like, what is the best situation? Do you rest players? How do you manage that? We haven’t figured that part out yet, but to me, you always want to keep the team moving along and competing at a high level to roll into the playoffs at the right time. But certainly, those will be discussions that we’ll have, as far as lineup for the last four games.”
When will Tkachuk return?
Brady Tkachuk has been the Senators’ undisputed leader for the past few seasons, finally guiding the team back to the Stanley Cup playoffs after a prolonged absence. The Canadian franchise is certainly looking forward to having its captain on the ice for Game 1 of the postseason.
However, the priority remains his long-term health, which involves careful management of his recovery during the final weeks of the regular NHL season. The uncertainty about his availability adds an element of tension to the Senators’ planning for their return to the Stanley Cup race.