Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk suffered a right-hand injury after being cross-checked into the boards by Nashville defenseman Roman Josi just five minutes into last week’s game.
Despite the incident, Tkachuk continued to play through the pain. He finished most of the game before leaving midway through the third period of Ottawa’s 4–1 loss to the Predators.
A few days later, the team confirmed that Tkachuk had undergone surgery on Friday for his torn ligament in his right thumb. The two-hour procedure was deemed successful. He’s expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks while recovering.
Will Brady Tkachuk Be Ready Before the Olympics?
The big question now surrounding Tkachuk’s recovery is his potential availability for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, where he was among the first six players named to Team USA’s roster. Fortunately for both the Senators and Team USA, early signs are positive.
Speaking for the first time since the surgery, Tkachuk said he’s already back on the ice, though limited to skating only for now. “They fully repaired the ligament, which was fully torn. They re-stabilized the joints.” Tkachuk explained. “I was under for a 2-hour nap – I was fired up about that. They said it went awesome, very, very smooth.”
While he’s still weeks away from handling a stick, Tkachuk noted he’s keeping up his conditioning and expects to start light puck work by the third or fourth week of rehab. “It’s too early to say, of course, I’ll try to get back on the first possible day… I’m able to skate now, and it’s only been 9 days off the ice, so the legs and conditioning will stay. But it’s just going to be a little bit before I can stick handle and shoot.”
Tkachuk also revealed that Josi reached out after the incident. “It was nice of him to do that, of course, he didn’t have to. It’s a part of the game, stuff like that happens.”
Through three games, Brady Tkachuk had recorded three assists. The Senators now sit at 2-4-1 following a 3-2 OT loss to the Oilers. Despite the setback, Tkachuk remains positive about his team’s chances. “I have full belief and faith in this group,” Tkachuk said. “We’re getting back to our identity.”
With Tkachuk out until late November or early December, veterans Michael Amadio and David Perron are expected to shoulder more responsibility. Interestingly, Tkachuk’s brother, Matthew, is also recovering from an injury in Florida, sidelining both brothers for now.
