Brady Tkachuk was ineffective in a sweep of the Senators

Jonathan Di Gregorio
Brady Tkachuk was ineffective in a sweep of the Senators
Credit: x @GinoHard_

The Senators were only a fleeting presence in the 2026 playoffs.

Ottawa was swept by the Hurricanes, who won Game 4 of the series 4-2 this afternoon.

What stands out in particular is Brady Tkachuk's very mediocre performance; he finished the series with zero points and a -4 plus/minus rating over four games.

With the exception of his fight with Jordan Staal early in Game 1, the Sens' captain has been invisible in his team's recent games, despite being a player built for the postseason.

He isn't the only one to blame for his team's quick defeat, as they scored just five goals in four games against Carolina.

One notable example is Tim Stützle, another of Ottawa's offensive stars, who had just one assist and a -4 plus/minus against the Canes and also struggled throughout the series.

However, in Tkachuk's case, one might wonder if today wasn't his last game in a Senators uniform.

The American, who has often made it known that he wants to eventually play for a team south of the border and has been regularly involved in controversies, has clearly become a distraction for his team.

At this point, the Sens have almost no choice but to move on and trade him during the offseason.

Tkachuk has two seasons remaining on his contract, which pays him an average of $8.2 million per year, and even though he has a no-trade clause, he would likely be willing to waive it to play for an American team.

For their part, the Sens can hope for a good return on their captain that won't too severely impact their offense, which, as we just saw against the Canes, already lacks depth.

Otherwise, Ottawa could really struggle to score goals next year.


In a flash

– What a shot!

– Ouch.

– A shakeup in Boston.

– What a great play!

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!