Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk exited the team's April 11 contest against the New York Islanders. This was after Ryan Pulock's stick hit Tkachuk when the Islanders defenseman was hopping over the boards to start his shift.
It was a strange play, and Tkachuk was clearly shaken up from it. While he did come back for one more shift during the third period following the play, he left the game after it. He also did not play in the Senators' most recent contest against the New Jersey Devils, where they fell in overtime by a 4-3 final score.
With the playoffs being right around the corner for the Senators, fans have naturally been concerned about Tkachuk's status for the postseason. This is especially so when noting that the Senators are entering the postseason as underdogs.
However, a new update on Tkachuk has been provided by Senators head coach Travis Green, and it is certainly an encouraging one.
Senators' Brady Tkachuk expected to be good to go for the playoffs
While speaking to reporters ahead of the Senators' matchup against the Devils, including NHL.com's Mike Morreale, Green shared that Tkachuk will be good to go for the postseason.
Hearing that the Senators expect Tkachuk to be in the lineup once the playoffs are here is undoubtedly promising. With Tkachuk being one of the Senators' top stars, it would be brutal if he were unable to play during the start of the postseason. Yet, based on this update from Green, it appears likely that the star winger will be in Ottawa's lineup once the playoffs start.
Tkachuk has once again had a very good season for the Senators in 2025-26, and the truth is in his stats. In 60 games this campaign with the Senators, the 6-foot-4 forward has recorded 22 goals, 37 assists, 59 points, 162 hits, and a plus-4 rating. With numbers like these, he has continued to make a big impact for the Senators with both his offence and his physicality. Therefore, he is exactly the kind of player the Senators need in their lineup come playoff time.
The Senators finish off their 2025-26 campaign against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if Tkachuk ends up playing against Toronto. However, with the star forward already having an injury scare, it may be best for him to sit out and rest up for the playoffs for Ottawa.