Winger Brady Tkachuk will make his season debut for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, Senators head coach D.J. Smith confirms.
The Senators have a three-day break ahead of them after playing three games in four nights to open the season. Without their best forward in the lineup, the team impressed, starting the season off 2-1-0.
Tkachuk’s season debut will come at home after appearing in street clothes during the team’s season opener last Thursday at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs to a standing ovation. The Senators signed Tkachuk to a seven-year, $57.5MM contract earlier on that Thursday.
He’ll undoubtedly get slotted on the team’s first line in his return, reuniting as a trio with Josh Norris and Drake Batherson. That line impressed all last season in its first year of existence, seeing its members score 17 goals apiece and at least 30 points apiece in a shortened 56-game season.
The team has risen to its 2-1-0 start largely due to the impressive play of Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson in the net. Despite that record, the Senators have scored only seven goals in their first three games, averaging 2.33 per contest. Tkachuk’s infusion into the lineup and the depth advantage that it provides will undoubtedly go a long way towards boosting those numbers.
Where is that homer who said this guy would be out of the league in 4 years? Want to see his response now that Brady is signed for 7 more years at a steep contract. Do I have to look up all the comments again or does anyone know who or where it was to narrow it down?
Not a fan of Brady, or Matthew, but they have spots in the league.
@wreckage – Well, I can tell you who it wasn’t – me. We apparently disagree on Walt Jr. #1’s and Walt Jr. #2’s merits, but you piqued my interest on who would suggest that #2 would be out of the league in four years. I was hoping there would be maneuvering with his contract to help facilitate playing with his brother. It’s still possible, but we’ll have to wait longer, now.
Found it. It wasn’t that he would be done in 4 years, it was that he was “topped out” already and they would regret signing him.
@wreckage – Sounds like somebody had a hat on that was too tight and cut off the common sense to the little gray cells. “Topped out” ? Brady’s just starting to come into his own, and there’s no telling where his ceiling is right now.