The Ottawa Senators have still not played their first game of the season, while six other NHL teams have played two games. The NHL schedulers made an interesting choice with that one.
One of the teams that have played multiple games already this season is the Florida Panthers. The Panthers most recently faced off against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, and former Senators captain Brady Tkachuk did his old trick during it.
During the contest, Tkachuk threw a cheap shot from behind on San Jose Sharks superstar forward Macklin Celebrini, well after the puck was away from the play. Sharks defenseman Jacob Trouba quickly stood up for Celebrini after Tkachuk's dirty hit and dropped the gloves with Tkachuk.
Tkachuk ended up having the upperhand on Trouba, as he landed the takedown. Still, Trouba certainly gained some respect from his new teammates in San Jose for standing up for Celebrini.
Tkachuk certainly was known for his gritty style of play and fighting while with the Senators. As a result, it is not particularly surprising to see him already engaging in the rough side of the game with the Panthers. This is especially so when noting that Florida is a team that always values physicality.
Looking at former Senators Tkachuk's start with the Panthers
Besides his fight with Trouba, Tkachuk has not been making much of an impact with the Panthers yet. In two games, he has yet to record a point and has a minus-1 rating. He is currently tied with Bokondji Imama, Mathieu Olivier, and Uvis Balinskis for the most penalty minutes in the league this season with seven.
Given Tkachuk's resume, it should only be a matter of time before he heats up offensively for the Panthers.
The Senators are set to play Tkachuk and the Panthers at home on Oct. 21. Given how his tenure in Ottawa ended, it would not be surprising if he hears a good amount boos from Senators fans.
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