The daily main story at Hockey Hot Stove is powered by Watrhouse Brands, dedicated to quality, consumer education, and awareness: Benevolent Bakery, SoSHEL beverages, and Smokiez vegan fruit chews. Benevolent Bakeries and SoShel are proud sponsors of Hockey Day in Houston 2026. Today: Brady Tkachuk.
After a tough night in Washington, Brady Tkachuk set the tone in a stunning Ottawa Senators 3-2 win over the New York Islanders.
Tkachuk exchanged blows with fellow Islanders captain Anders Lee in a spirited bout as the puck dropped to start the game. Senators fans at the Canadian Tire Centre were as loud as at any point this season. Then after Senators’ newcomer Warren Foegele squared the match at 2-2 5:12 into the final frame, it was Tkachuk who netted the dramatic game-winning goal with only 13 seconds remaining in regulation to give his team a much-needed victory.
Per Optastats, the Senators’ captain is the first player in NHL history to be involved in a fight in the first minute and score the GWG for his team in the final minute of a game.
The win keeps Ottawa within arm’s length of a playoff spot, but there’s still plenty of work to be done in the Senators’ remaining 14 games.
Tkachuk vital to Senators’ playoff hopes
The club sits five points out of a Wildcard berth while possessing one game in hand on current placeholders Boston and Detroit. In addition, the Senators also trail Montreal by an identical five points. However, they are equal in number of games with their third-place Atlantic Division rival.
But for Tkachuk, putting his stamp on the game was a long time coming. It wasn’t that he was playing poorly this season by any means. Tkachuk is on the cusp of a fifth consecutive 20-plus goal campaign and is averaging slightly under a point per game (19 goals, 28 assists in 48 games).
He’s already surpassed his assist total from the 2024-25 season (26) registered in 72 games. Mainly due to thumb surgery causing him to miss six weeks and having to subsequently don protection on his hand until recently, a large facet of the 26-year-old’s game was missing. And that was his ability to rile opponents, not only with creative chirps, but using his six-four, 226-pound frame to deliver thunderous hits.
Tkachuk’s 2.52 hits credited per game are his fewest since his 2018-19 rookie campaign (2.45), far off his normal 3-plus hits per outing throughout his eight-year career.
Emotional rollercoaster
While recording five goals, five assists in 11 post-Olympic appearances, the time change, going from traveling from Italy to Western Canada in a short period, combined with the high of winning Gold, became an emotional rollercoaster for him.
“I mean, I’m not gonna lie to you, it didn’t feel too great. Just, you know, the travel, the time change, going out west, and just kind of changing time zones every other day, didn’t feel great, I’ll be honest with you. And just tried giving the best that I had that day, and giving absolutely everything I have for the guy next to me. I feel great now, and it was definitely an emotional rollercoaster. You mean you achieve a childhood dream,” an honest Tkachuk admitted.
“You dream about being a gold medalist, and for it to be 46 years since the last time for USA Hockey, it’s a pretty big deal. So mentally, it was a lot, a lot to process, lots of digest, and you only have three days to kind of get back into game shape, where, when you win the Stanley Cup, you have three months. So I know a lot of guys I wouldn’t say had a tough time with, but it was an adjustment. And, you know, for us, going right out west was a challenge.”
Senators’ fans were ecstatic to see a rejuvenated captain put his stamp on a must-win game as “Brady” chants reverberated throughout the building.
Tkachuk set the tone
On opening the night with a tilt, Tkachuk said, “I felt like I wasn’t great last night (Wednesday) in a big game, and I just know I needed to be a lot better today to help this team. But I think you look at everybody on this team, everybody had a statement game. Everybody played great and through the highs and lows of the game, I thought we handled it well, and credit also to ‘Rids” (Ridly Greig) for going toe-to-toe with a really tough guy (Islanders Brayden Schenn).
So I always think for us, it’s just coming together in a responding fashion for from last night’s effort. Just said, “It’s a big game. Let’s, let’s get in our teams going here.” So now, a ton of respect for him, the way he (Anders Lee) plays. I’ve heard nothing but great things about him as a captain, and just have a ton of respect for him.”
“I mean, I thought about it. It’s been a very long time since I’ve gotten to a fight, just needed to get some anger out of different type of things. So anything to help the team. I mean, I know that’s something I never shy away from, but it’s been a while since I’ve kind of done that. So just need to get
one here,” Tkachuk explained.
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Green pleased with team captain
Senators head coach Travis Green was proud of his captain, saying his play was “awesome.”
“He’s a hell of a player. I was happy for him tonight. He really led the charge…Brady and I talk a lot. We’re lucky to have this guy. He’s a good player,” added Green.
The Senators head coach wasn’t surprised Tkachuk dropped his gloves.
James Reimer, who stopped 17 Islanders shots in the win was also impressed with Tkachuk’s leadership.
“Chucky is an incredible leader. We’re so lucky to play with a guy like that. I think the city and the fans are are extremely blessed to have a guy like that leading your team, just what he brings, you know, every day, and integrity he brings to his game and onto the ice is is impressive. And when your leader plays with that kind of passion and physicality and then ability to score, it’s somebody you just want to get in line and follow them,” explained the Senators goalie.
