Brady Tkachuk spent eight seasons with the Ottawa Senators and five as their captain before a blockbuster offseason trade sent him to the Florida Panthers, creating an anticipated early-season reunion between the Atlantic Division rivals.
With Tkachuk’s first game back at Canadian Tire Centre scheduled for Oct. 21, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch has reported Ottawa’s plans for the reunion. According to Garrioch, Senators team president Cyril Leeder has confirmed that the franchise intends to honor their former captain.
“Cyril Leeder says the plan is to do a video tribute for Brady Tkachuk on Oct. 21,” Garrioch reported.
The tribute will recognize Tkachuk’s lengthy tenure in Ottawa after the Senators drafted him with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
MORE: The 10 Best NHL Draft Steals of All Time
Tkachuk played 572 games for the Senators, ranking 10th in franchise history, and recorded 463 points, fifth-most in team history. He added seven points to that tally across 10 postseason contests.
Last season, after eventual champions the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the Senators in the first round of the playoffs, Tkachuk refuted the rumors about his potential exit from Ottawa.
“I feel like I’ve answered this hundreds of times,” Tkachuk said in April. “None of those things ever came out of my mouth. Quite honestly, it’s just getting frustrating. It’s becoming a distraction.”
Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Tkachuk later requested a trade, with Florida emerging as his preferred destination. His move to the Panthers united him with older brother Matthew Tkachuk and sent three first-round draft picks and a 2027 second-rounder to Ottawa.
The Senators and the Panthers will meet on Oct. 21 in the first of four matchups between the two teams throughout the 2026 NHL season.
