For the first time since the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators will battle one another in the phenomenon that’s commonly been referred to by fans and media as “The Battle of Ontario”.
The Senators, who swept the regular season series from the Maple Leafs this season, have never defeated the rival Senators in a postseason series.
Looking to add his considerable influence to the upcoming series is Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, who has been unavailable to the team for the last several games due to an injury.
What’s the Latest on Brady Tkachuk’s Injury
While the good news for Senators fans is that he’s returned to the Ottawa lineup for their final regular-season game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, there is also understandable concern about the chances of his re-aggravating his injury.
NHL Insider Bruce Garrioch of TSN explained that for Tkachuk, he feels like he needs to be a part of the historic series in what will be his very first action beyond Game No. 82 of the regular season.
“Well, I think it’s important for him to play because he wants to play,” he said. “I really believe, Claire, that this is Brady Tkachuk’s choice to suit up in this game. I think the Senators would have been quite fine if Brady Tkachuk wanted to suit up in Game One of the Battle of Ontario on Sunday night.
But I think that Tkachuk feels like he needs this as a bit of a tune-up. You know, he talked to you and I today about, you know, getting some touches, work on the wall, work on the power play. There are things you can’t do in practice that are the same as a game.”
“And I feel like he thinks he needs this game just to be ready for Sunday when the puck is dropped for real, and his first playoff game,” he continued. “And it’s going to be his first game since March 30th, when he suffered that upper-body injury. Before that, he was dealing with a hip injury.”
Tkachuk leads the Senators with 29 goals scored this season.
Tkachuk comes from a hockey family, as his father was noted NHL icon Keith Tkachuk, who scored over 500 goals during his playing career. Additionally, Brady is the older brother of Matthew Tkachuk, who has helped the Florida Panthers to consecutive berths in the Stanley Cup Final.
Brady, whom the Senators selected with the eighth pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, will finally be getting his first taste of Stanley Cup Playoff action in what is his seventh NHL season as a professional.