It’s been a rough opening stretch for the Brady Tkachuk’s Ottawa Senators, and Monday didn’t do them any favors. The season’s only just begun, yet challenges seem to be lining up early. Between uneven starts, lineup gaps, and growing pressure from fans, Ottawa needed a steady hand to settle things down.
But instead, the night brought more uncertainty. In a game that already felt heavy, their captain took a hard hit in Nashville and didn’t finish the night.
Can the Senators Stay Afloat Without Brady Tkachuk?
Early in the first period, Predators defenseman Roman Josi cross-checked Tkachuk into the boards. The penalty was called immediately, but the bigger story was how Tkachuk came up holding his arm.
He tried to shake it off, even came back for a few shifts, but you could tell something wasn’t right. By the third period, he was gone from the bench.
Afterward, head coach Travis Green told reporters the move wasn’t just precautionary. “Obviously he didn’t finish the game down the stretch, he tried to,” Green said. “I don’t really have an update. He’s being evaluated right now.”
No official word yet from the team, but witnesses saw Tkachuk favoring his right wrist. Later, he left the locker-room area with it taped. That’s all anyone’s saying for now.
Even missing Tkachuk for a couple of games would sting. Ottawa’s 1-2 start has already raised a few eyebrows, and Drake Batherson is still out. Another key piece on the shelf is the last thing they need.
Tkachuk played just under 14 minutes before leaving, recording two shots and six hits, pretty standard for him, but his energy drives everything Ottawa does. When he’s out, the tone changes.
“You don’t want to see anybody get hurt,” said fellow teammate Thomas Chabot. “We need everybody if we want to achieve what we want. You’re going to need every guy.”
Ottawa hung around anyway. Ridly Greig scored late to make it interesting, though Nashville added two empty-netters to close it out 4-1. Linus Ullmark made 22 saves, and the penalty kill, surprisingly steady, went six-for-six.
One moment that had fans grumbling came earlier: a Senators goal wiped out for goalie interference after review. Green just shrugged.
“It was a strange night for sure. I was really shocked that goal didn’t count, to be honest with you, but sometimes that happens,” he said.
A Tough Stretch Ahead
The schedule won’t ease up. Ottawa heads to Buffalo next, then returns home for back-to-backs with Seattle and the Islanders before taking on Edmonton. If Tkachuk can’t go, others will need to pick up the slack fast.
The storyline even runs in the family. Brady’s brother, Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers, is still sidelined until at least December after offseason surgery. Both were named to the U.S. Olympic roster earlier this year, and both are now stuck watching from the stands.
The Senators are waiting for their captain, who sets their pace and personality, and is being evaluated. How quickly he’s back might decide how Ottawa’s season takes shape.
