The Ottawa Senators are headed back to the playoffs for a second-straight season. Through goaltending woes, penalty kill issues, and a bunch of outside noise, the club had a fantastic run of hockey to clinch their playoff berth. Resilience has to be the best word to describe this team for the season.
Over the course of Brady Tkachuk‘s career, the vision of him playing in the playoffs was something to lust over. With his playing style and passion, it was something everyone anticipated. In 2024-25, Tkachuk and the Senators got off to a slow start but picked up the pace as the series went on. It was the first playoff series for this team as a group, and the first for most in their career.
Tkachuk played very well, but as we focus in on the 2025-26 playoffs, what do the Senators need from their captain this year?
Questions About Availability Following Temporary Vision Loss
During a game against the New York Islanders, Tkachuk was spotted heading toward the bench, and lost his balance. He appeared dizzy, uncoordinated, and didn’t play the rest of the game, nor did he play in the next game against the New Jersey Devils.
During a media availability after a practice, which he was a full participant of, Tkachuk addressed the strange situation.
After telling reporters he had suddenly lost all vision, he stated, “That was one of the weirdest, honestly scary moments…we did a bunch of tests, I am feeling good, we will see about tomorrow, but ready to go for what’s to come.”
All signs are pointing toward him being okay for the playoffs, but that isn’t the type of situation to take lightly. Tkachuk had a fight earlier in the game, and some are curious if that led to the vision loss, while others point to his flinch when Ryan Pulock hopped over the boards right beside him, and could have jolted something.
Regardless of what it is, Tkachuk has been cleared to play, and should be there for Game 1 of the playoffs.
Setting a Physical Tone Early in Series
One of the biggest things Tkachuk brings to the game is his physicality. Throughout the 2025-26 season, Tkachuk recorded 162 hits, which stands as a career low. He did miss 22 games across the season, and his playing time was also much lower than his career average, but come playoff time, that is going to have to change.
The injury he suffered in October had a big impact. After taking a hit from behind from Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, Tkachuk missed the following 19 games. Upon his return, it was pretty clear that he had to play a bit softer, and that was certainly impactful on his season.
Tkachuk is one of the hardest hitters in the league; he isn’t afraid to go into any battles, and he knows how to use the physicality to make a statement.
Over the last few weeks, as the season was winding down, Tkachuk was back to the type of play that makes him so effective. With a few statement games, some big goals, and a few fights, his energy and passion were undeniable.
Looking at the Carolina Hurricanes as a first-round matchup, they don’t have as many players who play that physical game. Of course, Andrei Svechnikov can play that role, and they acquired Nicolas Deslauriers at the trade deadline, but as a whole, the team isn’t the most physical.
That isn’t a knock on them by any means. They are one of the most effective teams in the league at…most things. The on-ice results the Senators and Hurricanes have can have a lot of resemblance of each other, but they do it in different ways. Carolina clogs up the ice and dominates possession, while the Senators lean more toward physical forechecking and backchecking.
If the Senators, and especially Tkachuk, can have a major physical impact, it could be the turning point of the series.
Producing in High-Pressure Moments
One thing all Senators fans love about Tkachuk is that when the team needs a goal, he delivers. While he isn’t one of the league’s most prolific goal-scorers, at just 26 years old, Tkachuk has over 200 goals and a franchise-leading 12 overtime goals.
During the course of his career, despite taking so long to hit the playoffs, Tkachuk developed a reputation for being a clutch player. Beyond the overtime goals, Tkachuk has 28 game-winning goals, too.
Tkachuk has scored at a 70-plus point pace in four of the last five seasons. Even though he faced plenty of criticism throughout the year, it was his second-highest per-game pace for points, finishing the season with 59 in 60 games. He isn’t someone to push for 100 points every year, but as mentioned above, that isn’t what sets him up for his success. It is everything altogether.
The Hurricanes have a great defensive system, and while their goaltending is similar to Ottawa’s, with plenty of question marks, it will be hard to score goals. If the Senators want to make waves in the playoffs this year, Tkachuk is going to need to keep up the production.
Play Disciplined Hockey
One issue many take with Tkachuk’s game is how much time he spends in the penalty box. In 2025-26, Tkachuk spent 71 minutes penalized. That number is lower than usual in part because of the time missed, but also the lack of fights. His three fights on the season are the lowest total since his rookie season.
With 18 minor penalties, that is a pretty good rate, too. For a player who plays the way he does, ending up in the penalty box is going to happen. For him to end up there 18 times is a lot for most players, but by his standard, it was a good year.
Special teams is often a major factor in the postseason. The Senators play very well as even strength, and while their penalty kill has greatly improved since the coaching change there, staying out of the box will be key.
The Hurricanes have one of the most lethal power plays in the league, sitting fourth with a 24.9 percent success rate.
Tkachuk Built for Playoffs, Shouldn’t Have Any Concerns
Brady plays a lot like his brother Matthew. While Brady plays a bit more physically and Matthew has more offensive ability, they still do a lot of the same things. The Hurricanes have faced off against the Florida Panthers plenty of times, and Matthew could have a few tips for Brady heading into the first-round matchup.
The matchup should be pretty even in the first round, and if the Senators get through, they will have either the Pittsburgh Penguins or Philadelphia Flyers awaiting them. With how well the rest of the team has played, Tkachuk is in a position to be a true X-factor for the playoffs.
