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Brady Tkachuk

Senators Notes: Tkachuk, Giroux, Jensen, Pinto, Worlds

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While the Senators are disappointed by a first-round loss in the Battle of Ontario, there are plenty of reasons for optimism in the future after ending a seven-year playoff drought. One is the continued top-end play of captain Brady Tkachuk, who was still dealing with the hip injury he sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off during the postseason, he told Claire Hanna of TSN.

“The hip happened that Sweden game, took some time coming back to try to get it as good as possible,” Tkachuk said. “Now it’s just, take the time to get that all healed up… it could heal up in the next couple of weeks.”

Entering a pivotal 2025-26 campaign for the Sens as they look to establish themselves in the upper echelon of the Atlantic Division, it’s good news that their leading goal-scorer doesn’t expect any lingering effects and should head into training camp at full health. Signed through 2027-28 at an $8.2MM cap hit, he still led the Sens in playoff scoring with a 4-3–7 line and a plus-two rating through six games. While his 0.76 points per game in the regular season were his lowest in four years, he still topped Ottawa’s roster with 29 goals and would have registered his fourth straight 30-goal campaign if not for missing 10 games.

Here’s more on the Senators:

  • Veteran pending unrestricted free agent winger Claude Giroux wants to continue his career in his hometown of Ottawa. He hasn’t talked to Sens general manager Steve Staios about a contract extension yet, but still feels that he can be an impact player, he told Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. He’s been extremely durable since signing a three-year, $19.5MM contract with Ottawa in 2022, only missing one game. His point totals have steadily tailed off, though, and the 37-year-old scored 50 points in 81 games in 2024-25 for the second-lowest per-game output of his career over a full season. AFP Analytics projects a two-year extension for Giroux just north of his current cap hit, but it stands to reason he’ll be happy to re-up for the same number or slightly less. He only made $5.5MM in salary this year, so a marginal decrease wouldn’t even be a pay cut compared to the final season of his expiring contract.
  • Defenseman Nick Jensen may need offseason surgery for the undisclosed injury that plagued him down the stretch, he told Garrioch. Ottawa sat Jensen for two of its last four regular-season games, and he missed a couple of multi-game stretches earlier in the campaign. The 34-year-old was still an effective shutdown presence in his first season with the Sens, posting 21 points and a +18 rating in 71 regular-season games. He averaged nearly 21 minutes per game in the playoffs and controlled 57.6% of shot attempts when he was on the ice at 5-on-5 despite not recording a point.
  • Young center Shane Pinto is entering the back half of his two-year, $7.5MM contract and is interested in discussing a long-term extension after he becomes eligible to sign one on July 1, he told TSN 1200 Ottawa. After sitting out half of the 2023-24 campaign due to a suspension for violating the league’s sports wagering policy, he posted a career-best 21 goals and 37 points in 70 games in 2024-25 while shouldering top-six minutes.
  • Defensemen Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot declined invites from USA Hockey and Hockey Canada, respectively, to join their national teams for the 2025 World Championship in Denmark and Sweden, with the former citing rest as his reasoning (per Hanna and TSN 1200). Germany hasn’t yet approached star center Tim Stützle, he said, but will say yes once they reach out in the coming days (according to Garrioch). Dylan Cozens also said he’d welcome being added to Canada’s roster if asked, per TSN 1200.

Senators Reassign Angus Crookshank

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The Senators loaned winger Angus Crookshank to AHL Belleville on Wednesday, according to a team announcement.

While the move is primarily made with the B-Sens’ Calder Cup Playoff hopes in mind, it does help open the door for captain Brady Tkachuk to return to the lineup in Ottawa’s regular season finale. He’s missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury but is widely expected back for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Maple Leafs at the latest. It’ll likely be up to Tkachuk to decide if he wants a tuneup against the Hurricanes tomorrow before getting into playoff action, head coach Travis Green told Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.

Crookshank, 25, has been rostered since Tkachuk’s injury at the end of March. He’s played seven of Ottawa’s last nine games and recorded his first point of the season, an assist, on Sunday against the Flyers.

This year didn’t yield as much NHL action for Crookshank as he hoped. The 2018 fifth-rounder made just eight appearances after scoring 2-1–3 in 13 NHL contests last year. The Vancouver native’s still been a force in the minors, tied for the Belleville team lead in goals with 22 in 60 games. Overall, though, his point pace has dragged from last year’s near point-per-game effort in the AHL. He’s added 18 assists for 40 points through his 60 appearances after notching 46 in 50 games last year.

It’ll be curious to see whether Crookshank is part of the Sens’ plans for the future. He was set to be a restricted free agent last summer but signed a one-year, two-way ($775K/$120K) deal to stay with Ottawa before he hit the market. This year, though, the Senators won’t have a qualifying offer as a backup plan to retain his signing rights. His balance of low NHL games played with three years of professional experience means he’s headed for Group VI unrestricted free agency if they don’t re-sign him by July 1.

Atlantic Notes: Panthers, Tkachuk, Power

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While the defending champion Florida Panthers are still missing some key players from their lineup, they did provide a few positive updates on this front. Per George Richards of Florida Hockey Now, forward Sam Bennett will return to the lineup tomorrow against the Rangers, while forward Matthew Tkachuk is expected to join full practice starting this week.

Just last week, head coach Paul Maurice noted Tkachuk was still “weeks away” from a return from injured reserve after sustaining an injury in the 4 Nations Face-Off back in February. Tkachuk has been spotted on the ice a few times since, either skating on his own or joining the team for morning skate as he did in Montreal last week. In 52 games on the season, Tkachuk has registered 22 goals and 57 points to go along with 84 hits. Now in his third season with the Panthers, he has produced 265 points in 211 career regular season games with Florida, and his return will certainly be a key to their back-to-back cup aspirations.

Although Maurice recently noted Bennett would not return during the regular season, that decision has appeared to reverse course, with the coach stating Saturday that Bennett is, “At a point where he feels great.” It’s welcomed news for the team, as his return allows him to shake off some rust during the final two games of the regular season. In 74 games on the season, Bennett has scored a career-high 50 points.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Senators star Brady Tkachuk remains out with an upper-body injury, per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. Garrioch adds that Tkachuk skated on Saturday, but that there’s a likelihood the power forward doesn’t play until the playoffs. Tkachuk has missed the last eight games since sustaining an upper-body injury in Ottawa’s overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 30. He was hit late in the second period from defender Ryan Graves that drew a penalty, and Tkachuk did not return to the game. In 71 games, he has put up 29 goals and 55 points.
  • Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power sustained a lower-body injury during last night’s loss to the Panthers, and he is not expected to play in tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, reports Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News. He ended last night’s game with just 15 shifts and 13:27 of total ice time. On the season, Power has put up a career-high 40 points. At just 22, Power has put 111 points in 242 career NHL games. He still has six years remaining on his eight-year, 8.35MM contract he signed in October 2023.

Brady Tkachuk Possibly Out Until Playoffs

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While the Ottawa Senators clinched their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last night, they may be without their captain until the playoff begins. According to an NHL release, Brady Tkachuk may not return in the regular season as he continues to deal with an injury.

Tkachuk has been out five games since sustaining an upper-body injury in Ottawa’s overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 30. He sustained a hit late in the second period from defender Ryan Graves that drew a penalty, and Tkachuk did not return to the game. Tkachuk has scored 29 goals and 55 points in 71 games on the year, while also dishing out 227 hits and recording 123 penalty minutes. The Sens have gone 3-2 in his absence and currently sit in the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

A fan favorite in Ottawa, Tkachuk, 25, already ranks fourth in team history in goals (191), sixth all-time in points (404), and third in penalty minutes. However, the power forward has never experienced the NHL playoffs. The Senators, who took Tkachuk fourth overall in the 2018 draft, have not qualified for the playoffs since the 2016-17 season. That year, the Senators went on a deep run before eventually losing game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Penguins in double overtime. It’s been 2,876 days since the Sens last playoff appearance.

Asked if Tkachuk could return if the playoffs hypothetically started tomorrow, GM Steve Staios stated, “I would think so, yes. I can’t give you a definitive (answer).” He added that Tkachuk has continued to progress and that it’s natural for teams to mull over these types of decisions. Staios added it’s a balancing act between wanting to get a player back to full health, while also trying to maintain momentum heading into the playoffs.

Staios added that veteran forward Nick Cousins, who has missed 29 games since sustaining a knee injury on Jan. 25, is traveling with the team and close to returning. He said Cousins has been attacking his rehab to expedite his possible return to play. In 47 games on the year, Cousins has recorded five goals and 13 points in a depth role.

Injury Notes: Tkachuk, Guenther, Thrun, Penguins

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The Ottawa Senators will be without team captain Brady Tkachuk for a second straight game on Thursday night per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. Senators head coach Travis Green told Garrioch that there was no update on Tkachuk’s injury after his first missed game. The top-line forward continues to carry a day-to-day injury designation after sustaining an upper-body injury in the overtime period of Ottawa’s Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ottawa suffered a tough 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres without Tkachuk on Tuesday. Fabian Zetterlund held onto a top-line role, and David Perron into a second-line role, in Tkachuk’s absence. Perron has managed four goals and five points over his last 10 games, while Zetterlund has recorded just one assist – hardly enough to make up for Tkachuk’s 11 points in 15 games since the start of march. The Senators’ captain is up to 29 goals and 55 points in 71 games on the season. Tkachuk is on pace for 64 points on the season – which would be the lowest he’s scored since breaking out with 67 points in the 2021-22 campaign. But even in a down year, the Senators will need to find a way to make up for Tkachuk’s net-front presence in his absence. They currently have a firm grip of the Eastern Conference’s first Wild Card.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Utah Hockey Club forward Dylan Guenther is going to stick in the lineup despite breaking his nose in Tuesday night’s loss to the Florida Panthers, shares Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune. Guenther took a puck to the face but opted to play through Tuesday’s game, telling Fraser after that his nose is a far away from his legs after the game. He added earlier today that he had to get nine stitches and that his breathing is at about 70 percent, but neither fact will hold him out of the lineup on Thursday. Guenther has three points in his last five games, and a dazzling 26 goals and 52 points in 63 games this season. He stands as Utah’s leading goal scorer – at the young age of 21 – and should continue to contribute to Utah’s playoff race. Utah currently sits nine points out of the Western Conference’s second Wild Card, with one game in hand.
  • San Jose Sharks defenseman Henry Thrun has confirmed that he’ll be returning to the lineup on Thursday, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Thrun has been out of the lineup since February 27th with an upper-body injury, save for making a spot start on March 8th where he reaggravated his injury. Thrun was finding his NHL legs in the games leading up to his injury, and even played in a career-high 24 minutes of action in San Jose’s February 24th loss to the Winnipeg Jets. He’s recorded 10 points, 30 penalty minutes, and a minus-16 in 52 games this season. Those marks fall just narrowly shy of his 11 points, 16 penalty minutes, and a minus-22 in 51 games last season. Thrun is expected to return to San Jose’s third pair alongside veteran Marc-Edouard Vlasic on Thursday.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins embarked on a three-game road trip on Thursday. They brought with them star Evgeni Malkin, who hasn’t played since March 23rd, while leaving behind Thomas Novak and Pierre-Olivier Joseph, per Penguins play-by-play voice Josh Getzoff. The pair of depth skaters will be forced to miss the next few games with undisclosed injuries. In the meantime, Malkin will look to make his return on Pittsburgh’s final multi-game road trip of the season. He’s continued to be a force in the Penguins lineup, with 15 goals and 46 points in 62 games this season. That’s the lowest scoring pace of Malkin’s career, though he still ranks fifth on the team in total scoring. Of the missing duo, only Joseph has managed a point – netting one assist in 24 games -while Novak has no scoring in two games with Pittsburgh. With two holes to fill, Pittsburgh is expected to enter Joona Koppanen and Ryan Shea back into the lineup.

Senators Holding Out Brady Tkachuk With Upper-Body Injury

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The Senators are scratching captain Brady Tkachuk tonight against the Sabres due to an upper-body injury, per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. He’s been dealing with a nagging lower-body issue since the 4 Nations Face-Off that’s threatened his availability but sustained a new injury when he was hit away from the play by Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves late in the second period of Sunday’s game, head coach Travis Green confirmed to Claire Hanna of TSN. Winger Angus Crookshank has been brought back up from AHL Belleville under emergency conditions and will replace Tkachuk in the lineup, the team announced.

Tkachuk did return to the game after the collision with Graves, who was assessed an interference penalty on the play. His ice time remained somewhat conservative, though, skating 15:41 in an overtime loss. While Tkachuk’s averaged north of 18 minutes per game on the season, he’s hit that mark just once in his last 11 games.

There’s no timeline for his return, and there will be understandable anxiety in Ottawa until the team gives their next update on Tkachuk’s status. The team’s leader in goals (29 in 71 GP) is a must-have in the lineup ahead of the Senators’ overwhelming likely return to the postseason before even considering his off-ice importance and intangibles as one of the league’s most antagonizing power forwards. Since he was able to return to the Pittsburgh contest over the weekend, there’s likely hope for a day-to-day timeline compared to anything threatening his playoff availability with just two weeks left on the regular season schedule.

The absence should provide a brief reset for Tkachuk, who’d gone without a point in his last three games but has 8-3–11 in 15 appearances since returning from the 4 Nations break. He only has 55 points (29 G, 26 A) in 71 games overall on the season, though, his worst points-per-game rate since the abbreviated 2021 season. Historically a mediocre finisher, he’s shooting right around his career average of 9.7%. He continues to generate loads of shot attempts, leading the team with 500 with a 96-attempt lead over second-place Thomas Chabot.

Crookshank will slot in for his second appearance of the season and first since Feb. 26. The 25-year-old winger was on hand for the loss to the Pens but was scratched and returned to the B-Sens yesterday before being summoned again today. He has 2-1–3 in 14 career NHL games, all with Ottawa over the last two seasons. The 2018 fifth-rounder also has 22-18–40 in 60 AHL games this season, down from last year’s pace but still leading the team in goals.

Ottawa Senators Reassign Stephen Halliday

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Mar. 25: Halliday’s first call-up was short-lived, as the Senators announced they’ve reassigned him to AHL Belleville. The roster move indirectly confirms that Tkachuk should be in the Senators’ lineup tonight when they match up against the Buffalo Sabres.

Mar. 24: The Senators announced they’ve recalled center Stephen Halliday from AHL Belleville. It would be his NHL debut if he enters the lineup tomorrow against the Sabres. That’s a distinct possibility as captain Brady Tkachuk was absent from today’s practice, Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports, after logging only 13:23 of ice time against the Devils on Saturday.

It’s been a huge year for Halliday, who the Sens selected in the fourth round (No. 104 overall) in the 2022 draft. Selected after being passed over in the 2020 and 2021 drafts, the 6’4″, 212-lb pivot headed to Ohio State immediately following his selection after four years in the United States Hockey League. The big, playmaking pivot averaged nearly a point per game across two seasons for the Buckeyes, posting 19-58–77 in 78 appearances and finishing as a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award in 2023-24. Ottawa signed him to his entry-level contract last March, paving the way for him to jump to the pros.

Here in 2024-25, Halliday has flourished in Belleville. After impressing with nine points in seven Calder Cup Playoff games to end last season, he leads the B-Sens in scoring with 15-28–43 in 59 games. He has some work to do defensively; his -19 rating is the worst on the team by a significant margin. It’s nonetheless an impressive step for the 22-year-old, who’s tied for fifth in AHL rookie scoring.

That impressive offensive performance will, at the very least, get him his first appearance on an NHL roster, even if he doesn’t play. If he does, the left-shot forward could slot in on the wing instead of down the middle with Tkachuk absent. The captain has seen his minutes managed carefully since returning from the lower-body injury he sustained at the 4 Nations Face-Off, only seeing more than 19 minutes in a game twice this month. He’s clearly still nursing the injury, so with a five-point cushion on a playoff spot with 13 games to go, they may opt to give him some rest against a Buffalo squad that’s slated to finish last in the conference.

Halliday still has another year left on his ELC, which carries a $950K cap hit. Ottawa has just $130K in cap space after the recall, even while using Nick Cousins’ LTIR placement to stay compliant. The Sens, who haven’t been carrying an extra forward for a while now, will presumably send Halliday back to Belleville once Tkachuk is ready to play again.

Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Armia, Baddock

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Despite missing the final few minutes of Thursday’s game with a nagging hip issue, Senators winger Brady Tkachuk is expected to play tonight against Toronto, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.  The 25-year-old suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off that caused him to miss a couple of games and it wouldn’t be surprising if that is this lingering hip injury that he’s continuing to battle through.  Tkachuk hasn’t quite been able to produce at the same level as a year ago that saw him collect 74 points but he still has 27 goals and 25 assists through 63 games this season while once again being one of the more physical players in the league.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Canadiens winger Joel Armia is expected to return to the lineup tonight against Florida, relays Sportsnet’s Eric Engels (Twitter link). He missed Wednesday’s contest against Seattle due to an upper-body injury sustained the night before in Vancouver.  The 31-year-old has 11 goals and 14 assists through 64 games this season while being one of the most utilized forwards shorthanded.  If there isn’t another injury among Montreal’s forwards, they will have to either convert Joshua Roy’s recall from an emergency one to a regular recall (counting against their post-deadline limit) or return him to AHL Laval.
  • Before yesterday’s AHL trade deadline, the Maple Leafs’ affiliate made a move. Per a release from Chicago’s farm team in Rockford, the Marlies acquired winger Brandon Baddock in exchange for future considerations.  The 29-year-old has seven points and 86 penalty minutes in 38 games this season but was often scratched due to the IceHogs having one veteran over the limit.  That shouldn’t be the case for Baddock with Toronto, giving him a chance to play more down the stretch.  Baddock has one career NHL game under his belt from back in the 2021-22 season.

Senators’ Brady Tkachuk, Joshua Norris, Shane Pinto Nearing Return

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Friday’s practice brought plenty of positive injury updates to the Ottawa Senators, captured by the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. Captain Brady Tkachuk has confirmed he’ll return on Saturday after missing Ottawa’s last two games with a lower-body injury sustained at the 4-Nations Face-Off. Centers Joshua Norris and Shane Pinto were also full participants at Friday’s practice and seem close to a return of their own, though they haven’t been confirmed just yet. Both centermen are recovering from upper-body injuries. Pinto has been out for Ottawa’s last four games, while Norris has missed the last six.

The Senators are in desperate need for this wave of replacement. They’ve dropped their last five games, dating back to before the 4-Nations break, while getting outscored eight-to-23. That imbalance is largely thanks to the absence of Tkachuk and Norris, the team’s top two goal scorers. Tkachuk has 21 goals and 44 points through 56 games, while Norris has 19 goals and 31 points in 50 games. They’re closely followed by Shane Pinto, who has managed 11 goals and 22 points in 46 games and grown to a second-line role. Tkachuk leads the Senators in shots-per-game, while Pinto and Norris rank third and sixth among the team’s forwards. Their return should instantly spur a Senators team that’s managed just 26.8 shots-per-game over their losing streak.

The wave of returnees will force the Senators to shake up their lineup once again. Forwards Angus Crookshank and Jan Jenik are likely the first on the chopping block, after making their first and second NHL appearances of the season in Ottawa’s last game. Neither has managed any scoring.

Ottawa will also need to shelve a defender after icing seven in their last effort – but deciding who could be a challenge. Top-four defender Nick Jensen left Ottawa’s Friday practice early nursing a limp, per Garrioch. No update on Jensen’s pain was provided, but Garrioch adds the defender was already playing through an injury. Tyler Kleven was also absent from practice with what head coach Travis Green referred to as a “strain”. Green did not rule out Kleven for Saturday’s matchup. Both defenders have found a routine groove on Ottawa’s right-side. Jensen has 18 points in 53 games this season. He also ranks second on the team with a plus-11. Kleven hasn’t been as lucky, with just four points and a minus-five in 58 games.

Ottawa Senators Reassign Angus Crookshank, Jan Jeník

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Feb. 27: The Senators announced they’ve reassigned both forwards to AHL Belleville. The move indicates Ottawa will have Tkachuk and/or Pinto back by Saturday. Neither Crookshank nor Jeník scored in last night’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Feb. 26: Despite a mild three-day break since their first game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Ottawa Senators still required a few extra forwards for tonight’s game. Ottawa announced they’ve recalled Angus Crookshank and Jan Jeník from their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators.

The two will replace Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto in the lineup against the Winnipeg Jets. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like they’ll be needed for long, as multiple reports out of Ottawa indicate Tkachuk and Pinto fully participated in the Senators’ optional skate this morning.

Jeník is the only one of the duo who’s suited up for Ottawa this season. The former high-end prospect for the Arizona Coyotes is in his first year with the Senators organization after being acquired via trade this past offseason. Unfortunately, Jeník’s scoring production has noticeably declined this year. He’s scored seven goals and 13 points in 30 games with AHL Belleville after averaging 0.72 points per game over five years with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners.

Meanwhile, Crookshank has spent the entire 2024-25 campaign with AHL Belleville after making his NHL debut last season. The former 126th overall pick has scored 18 goals and 33 points in 48 AHL contests this year, ranking first on the team in goal-scoring. It will be his first NHL contest since April 2, 2024, should he suit up tonight against the Jets.

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