OTTAWA — It’s hard to win in the playoffs without your captain.  

In Game 82 on Thursday, the injury-stricken Tkachuk returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury on March 30. The idea was for Tkachuk to come back for the final game, to be as best prepared as possible for his first playoff endeavour.

Newsflash, Ottawa won’t beat their archrival Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs if their captain isn’t playing at his peak. That’s why a meaningless regular-season finale was needed for Tkachuk to reacclimate. 

“The first couple shifts (were) entertaining for sure,” Tkachuk joked post-game. 

Unfortunately, for a moment, the decision to play Tkachuk in a nothing game seemed to have backfired immensely for the Senators.

In Ottawa’s 7-5 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, Tkachuk left for precautionary reasons in the final frame after taking a high stick late in the second period. But thankfully for hockey and Senators fans, he says he’s good to go for Game 1 against Toronto. 

“Obviously precautionary,” said Tkachuk post-game as to why he exited the game.

“(Got) a couple sticks to the face, and the plan was, I wasn’t going to play much tonight, just to get my legs underneath me.”

Tkachuk said the medical staff and head coach Travis Green pulled him out. 

A sigh of relief ran from Kanata to Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Yet, Tkachuk’s presence gives no relief to opponents. 

Tkachuk is one of those hockey unicorns. He is mean, physical, can fight anyone, never backs down, but also has soft mitts, an elite hockey IQ, can score and is charismatic. His fans adore him.

His teammates expect Tkachuk to be a wrecking ball against Toronto in the first Battle of Ontario in 21 years. 

“I’m sure he’s going to be a madman,” said Shane Pinto about what he expects from Tkachuk in the playoffs.

His importance cannot be understated. In each of the last three seasons, Tkachuk has ranked first or second on the Senators in terms of shot share and expected goal share at five-on-five.

On Thursday, as Tkachuk played alongside Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux on what will likely be Ottawa’s first line for Game 1, they dominated Carolina. Even without playing together in a couple weeks, the line outshot Carolina 11-2.

For the season, the trio of Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux has been Ottawa’s best line, owning a 60 per cent shot share. How potent that line can be for the Senators in Round 1 against the Maple Leafs is worth monitoring for their odds of advancing.

Tkachuk has always been a driver of offence, and still is. However, in the past, he was a defensive liability even when dominating play, but that has not been the case this season. Tkachuk ranks 126th out of 702 with 2.26 expected goals allowed at five-on-five, according to Evolving Hockey.

Nevertheless, the mere fact that this Senators team didn’t wilt with him out of the lineup to end the season while securing their playoff spot is a testament to the team’s resolve.

Even as the Senators backed up their captain down the stretch, they finished the regular season third last in five-on-five goals. Tkachuk’s health and impact at five-on-five will be a key driver of Ottawa’s chances against Toronto. 

How will Toronto stop Tkachuk from getting to wherever he wants?

It will have to be a team effort for the Maple Leafs to stop a player who is routinely at the top of the league in goals, hits and penalties. 

However, there were old wounds from the past surrounding Tkachuk’s ability to perform heading into the season.

In Ottawa’s six miserable years with Tkachuk, questions were raised about whether he was too emotional, too immature, too slow, or too ineffective in his own end. ALl of which lead to the proverbial trope of a star player who routinely misses the playoffs. 

The way Tkachuk played in the 4 Nations should send fear up Toronto’s spine. Look at how he and his brother, Matthew, seemingly fought the entire Canadian team. Then Brady was outstanding in the gold medal game, scoring a monumental goal. 

The six-foot-four Tkachuk went up against the best of the best at the 4 Nations, and he stood out as much as he does at a grocery store with normal-sized people.

“It was unbelievable what he did in February at that tournament,” said teammate Jake Sanderson, who played with Tkachuk on Team USA. “I think he took his game to the next level, and really put his name on the map worldwide.”

Tkachuk and his brother went from hockey stars to nationwide fame in the U.S. after the tournament. 

Brady has learned a lot from Matthew, who won the Stanley Cup last season and successfully took down the Maple Leafs in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. 

“The big thing is, whatever happens in that game, the next game is a new game,” said Tkachuk about what he’s learned from his brother. “And so, if you win one, (you’re) not going to win the series off one game. It’s all about resetting.”

Brady will hope that beating Toronto runs in the family. 

Also, Brady hopes that this playoff journey for his Senators team eventually leads to him winning a Stanley Cup like his brother, but in Ottawa.

“It’s going to be a special experience,” said Tkachuk. “And I’m really looking forward to going to Game 1 with this group, and something that we’ve all dreamt of.”

That fits right into the style of the brooding Senators superstar.

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” said Tkachuk in response to whether he believes it’ll be a bloodbath against the Maple Leafs.

We will only have to wait three more days to watch Tkachuk play his first playoff game. Is it Sunday yet?