‘It’s a special place to me,’ Tkachuk says ahead of 1st game back on Sens turf

Brady is back.

Four months after requesting a trade, former Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is in the nation’s capital wearing the navy and red colours of one of the Sens’ division rivals.

Now a Florida Panther alongside his older brother and podcast co-host, Tkachuk will face off against the Sens in a hotly anticipated homecoming at the Canadian Tire Centre at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. 

“I just know how special it’s going to be for me being in front of the fans that supported me and were there for the eight years since I got in the league,” Tkachuk told reporters before Wednesday’s game. 

The Senators executed a deal with the Florida Panthers in June that sent Tkachuk, 27, to play in the Sunshine State in exchange for four draft picks.

Florida Panthers left wing Brady Tkachuk acknowledges the crowd after scoring a game winning goal during overtime in an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Tkachuk took some time settling into his new home. While he had no points in his first five games, the left winger is returning to Ottawa with a 10-point streak, which includes back-to-back hat tricks. 

Despite losing Tkachuk, the 6-3-0 Sens are tied with the 5-2-2 Panthers heading into the matchup. 

Impassioned Sens fans who are still feeling the sting of their former captain’s last-minute departure are expected to heckle Tkachuk during his homecoming, based on their social media comments.

“It’s a special place to me,” Tkachuk said of Ottawa. “Whatever their emotions may be, they’re entitled to them and it’s not going to be taken personally.”

Tkachuk’s former Ottawa teammates are expecting a high-intensity crowd but are concentrated on winning an eagerly awaited game. 

“I’m not too focused on how the crowd’s gonna react. I’m just focused on playing hard and trying to win the game,” said Sens defenceman Jake Sanderson, who caught up with Tkachuk over dinner on Tuesday night.

Tkachuk’s return ‘not really a topic of conversation’ for Sens, former teammate says

For Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, tapping into fiery emotions is part of what makes sports special. 

“If you’re jilted, be jilted,” he said. “Let’s bring the passion. Bring whatever it is that you feel … That’s what hockey and pro sports is all about. Let it all fly and enjoy it.”

On an episode of his Wingmen podcast, Tkachuk committed to donating any Sens jerseys tossed on the ice by upset fans to the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa.