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Brady Tkachuk Returns to Ottawa as a Florida Panther
By Drooid · · How we work
Return of a Former Captain: Tkachuk Faces Ottawa in October
The Florida Panthers will meet the Ottawa Senators on a Wednesday night in October, marking the first time former Senators captain Brady Tkachuk has played in his old city since being traded four months earlier. The game is expected to generate strong emotions among fans and players on both sides.
Background: Trade and Relationship with the Senators
Tkachuk, the fourth-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, spent eight seasons with Ottawa, five of them as captain, and helped the club break a seven-year playoff drought in 2025. Late in the 2023-24 season, he requested a trade, citing “professional reasons, personal reasons” that remained private between him and Senators general manager Steve Staios. The trade to Florida was completed in early April. Owner Michael Andlauer previously suggested that Tkachuk’s father Keith and brother Matthew had influenced the decision, a claim Tkachuk denied, emphasizing his sole responsibility for the move.
Player and Team Context
Tkachuk entered the 2024-25 season slowly but was named the NHL’s first star of the week after scoring natural hat tricks in consecutive games. The Panthers arrived in Ottawa with a 5-2-2 record and a three-game winning streak, while the Senators, at 6-3-0, were looking to rebound from a recent 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Ottawa’s captain Thomas Chabot missed the game with an upper-body injury; defenceman Jake Sanderson was slated to return after an eight-game absence.
Official Statements & Responses
Senators forward Drake Batherson acknowledged the “big game” atmosphere and the divisional stakes, while teammate Tim Stutzle downplayed the matchup, focusing on the two points at stake. Tkachuk said he arrived at the arena around 8:30 a.m., was pleased to reconnect with staff, and expressed gratitude toward the city and its fans, noting that any negative reaction would not alter his appreciation for Ottawa.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’ve talked about it a lot that, you know, there’s professional reasons, personal reasons why I wasn’t going to re-sign here, and a lot of those things have remained private between (Senators GM Steve Staios) and I,” — Brady Tkachuk, former captain
- “Yeah, I saw the quote and he’s entitled to his opinion,” — Brady Tkachuk, former captain
- “I’ve had so many great memories here that will last forever,” — Brady Tkachuk, former captain
- “And I don’t know what the exact emotion is going to be, but I just know how thankful and appreciative I am for everything that’s happened the last eight years.” — Brady Tkachuk, former captain