OTTAWA — For a long time in the hockey universe, Brady Tkachuk, his Senators and the city of Ottawa were an afterthought.Â
That all changed last season. Tkachuk took part in one of the most memorable fights in hockey history at the 4 Nations Face-Off, scored in the final, dragged his Ottawa Senators to the playoffs for the first time in eight years while being mercilessly booed by Leafs fans. Now, heâ€s one of the stars of Amazonâ€s “Faceoff” documentary and shared the cover of NHL 26 deluxe edition with brother, Matthew, and father, Keith.Â
The goal posts in hockey are the same this season, but they have changed for Tkachuk.
“I think there’s just one goal in mind for everybody in this room, and that’s the Stanley Cup,†he said.
Tkachuk knows he needs to get better for that to happen, from improved conditioning, playing with a cooler head, fighting less and straight up producing more goals and points.
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In his first game of the 2025-26 season, Tkachuk embodied the drag-my-team-back-into-the-game style, producing three assists on the first three Senators goals — driving a comeback from down 3-1 to eventually winning 5-4 in Tampa. Also, no dumb fights for the captain.Â
“The maturity that we played with really showed. I think there’s times, probably in the past, where we tried to make a play at all costs,†said Tkachuk post-game.
If the captain doesnâ€t panic, the team wonâ€t either.
For the Senators to thrust themselves into the forefront of the NHL, theyâ€ll need to optimize Tkachuk.
His coach thinks he has the tools.
Heâ€s called hockeyâ€s unicorn.
“How many players are like that in the league?†asked Senators coach Travis Green, rhetorically. “If you have another one we can get, Iâ€d love to get him. I donâ€t think we have another 10 other Brady Tkachuks. I don’t think there are 10 others in the league.â€
Tkachuk is a blend of skill, power and fighting, with a vibrant personality. His ultimate attribute is his ability to beat you up in a fight and on the scoreboard. Early in his career, though, he let his emotions get the better of him.Â
To allow Tkachuk to focus on scoring, last week the Senators traded for heavyweight fighter Kurtis MacDermid. In the first game of the season, both MacDermid and Donovan Sebrango fought instead of Tkachuk.
“I feel like (Iâ€m) starting to realize the importance that I have of being out there,†Tkachuk on his evolution on fighting.
“There’s definitely been times in the past where (Iâ€d) lose control of the emotions and snap,†said Tkachuk. He added he’s done “a lot of work (on managing emotions) and trying to stay level-headed and even keel.â€
Tkachuk credited the two fights from his teammates for lifting the teamâ€s spirits against Tampa Bay. Itâ€s not his job anymore.
“I love what he is. I love who he is,†Green said. “Bradyâ€s done a good job at maturing as a player. Being in emotional control. Also, understanding that his play rubs off on other players as well. It’s hard to win in the NHL.â€
Since entering the league in 2018, Tkachuk leads the league in penalty minutes. But last season he fought only five times.Â
With a more grown-up Tkachuk, the Senators are primed to take a run at the Atlantic Division that some consider wide open, given a banged-up, brotherless-for-now Florida, Marner-less Leafs and aging Tampa Bay. Ottawa has every opportunity to seize the moment, and Tkachuk will be the biggest key in a Senators bid to rise up the standings.Â
But, of course, itâ€s not all on him. He has help.Â
“I donâ€t have to feel the need to have the weight on my shoulders,†Tkachuk said.
Part of the success of the Senators last season was that it was the best collection of talent Tkachuk has ever played with in Ottawa, with Jake Sanderson, Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto taking a leap alongside veteran impact players Linus Ullmark, David Perron and Nick Jensen solidifying the teamâ€s play. The time is now for Tkachuk to win in Ottawa.Â
Despite all the winning in 2024-25, there wasnâ€t a gold medal or Lord Stanley’s cup for Tkachuk. Injuries hampered Tkachuk throughout the season and he finished with only 55 points, his lowest output since 2020-21.Â
To his credit, last season he improved immensely defensively. Tkachuk went from 695th in expected goals allowed at five-on-five in 2023-24 to 128th last season, according to Evolving Hockey. And, donâ€t forget, Tkachuk was clutch, scoring five game-winning goals, including a few down the stretch, notably the overtime winner against the New York Rangers that propelled his team into the playoffs.Â
However, Tkachuk admitted he wore down as the season progressed last year. In the off-season, Tkachuk worked on his conditioning. He now thinks heâ€s in the best shape of his life. Via the eye test, Tkachuk is leaner than last season. Stutzle, the teamâ€s star centre and one of Tkachukâ€s best friends, has noticed a change in Tkachukâ€s accountability, recently.Â
“He’s really taken it to heart that sometimes he’s got to be better,” Stutzle said. “He really did.â€
To win Cups, you canâ€t be 95 per cent in shape.
“I think all you guys know how I play,†Tkachuk said. “Itâ€s pretty demanding, just having the endurance to do it day in, day out, shift in, shift out. Playing with physicality, it takes a lot out of you.â€
Produce, stay conditioned, defend well and donâ€t fight. If Tkachuk does all of that, Ottawa will vault up the standings and deeper in the playoffs.
“Just got addicted to that feeling,†said Tkachuk, about finally playing in consequential games.Â
Meanwhile, off-ice Tkachukâ€s stature is growing, highlighted by the Amazon documentary.
“I’m an open book to begin with,” said Tkachuk about his first episode with brother Matthew.
Many Senators fans enjoyed that Ottawa became front and centre of Episode 1 of “Faceoff” but many were also miffed that the episode wasnâ€t squarely on Brady. Brother Matthew had almost as much airtime as Brady. Matthew is still the big brother on the ice, and off-ice in terms of fan appeal. Nevertheless, Brady got the spotlight, too.
But in Ottawa, Tkachukâ€s charm and warmth has been noticed for a while. Tkachuk signs every autograph he can and has opened philanthropic organizations in the city. In the midst of the tragedy of a diehard Sens fan losing their young child, Tkachuk privately wanted to help. When Tkachuk found out, without any publicity, he contacted the fan to relay his condolences. The stories go on and on.
Ask any Senators fan and Tkachukâ€s approval rating seems close to 100 per cent. He may be the second most-beloved Senator of all time, behind only Daniel Alfredsson.
When Tkachuk returns to Florida to play the Panthers on Saturday, he will have dinner with his brother Matthew to share stories and reconnect. For the first time Brady wonâ€t just be the little brother, heâ€ll be the other Tkachuk superstar.
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