The Ottawa Senators are set to welcome Brady Tkachuk back with a video tribute when he returns to Canadian Tire Centre on Oct. 21, team president Cyril Leeder said Thursday, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.
Tkachuk landed with the Florida Panthers this offseason after asking to be moved to the Atlantic Division rival so he could play alongside his brother, Matthew. He still has two seasons remaining on his contract.
Talk around a possible move to Florida had been building for a while, and Tkachuk addressed the noise after the Hurricanes swept the Senators in the first round of the 2026 playoffs. In April, he said, "I feel like I've answered this hundreds of times," Tkachuk said in April when asked about his future in Ottawa.
"None of those things ever came out of my mouth. Quite honestly, it's just getting frustrating.
It's becoming a distraction. I have been fully committed to this team, to this city, and it's just become a distraction and frustrating to deal with."
After Ottawa was bounced from the postseason, Tkachuk reportedly asked for a trade and was sent to the Panthers less than two months later.
The 26-year-old spent his first eight NHL seasons with the Senators after being selected fourth overall in 2018. He wore the captain’s C for the last five years in Ottawa.
In Senators history, Tkachuk sits 10th with 572 games played and fifth with 463 points. He also produced seven points in 10 playoff games for the club.
In Other News...
Senators Fans Are Split On This Canadian Tire Centre Change
The Canadian Tire Centre is getting another facelift, and this one is aimed squarely at how fans spend their time between whistles. Ottawa began renovating the building on Aug. 30, removing seats to make room for a new 300-level fan deck with a bar, concession booths, lounging space and a wide viewing area, part of a broader push by the Senators to make the arena feel more social and interactive. Team president and CEO Cyril Leeder said the goal is to improve the overall fan experience, continuing a pattern of recent additions designed to give supporters more ways to gather and stay connected on game nights.
For some Senators fans, the idea fits the modern arena experience, especially if it creates a better place to meet, move around and actually enjoy the building beyond the seat itself. For others, any change that takes away seating invites a tougher conversation about what should matter most at a hockey game, especially when longtime supporters are already attached to the way the arena has felt for years. The project is moving quickly, and with the home opener on the horizon, the real test will be whether the new space feels like a welcome upgrade or just another reminder that the Senators are still trying to balance atmosphere, access and tradition. [Read more 🡒]
Ottawa 67's Need These Two Prospects To Set The Tone
The Ottawa 67s are heading toward the start of their season with a couple of 19-year-olds expected to help shape the tone early. Spencer Bowes, a recent New York Rangers draft pick, looks ready to be a significant winger in the mix after a strong preseason opener, while David Bedkowski has come back with a more physically imposing frame and the kind of presence the club wants from an overager on the back end.
Both prospects matter for more than just their own development, because the 67s are looking for players who can set an example before the regular season begins in September. With the preseason schedule wrapping up this weekend, the next step is seeing whether Bowes can keep building on his early momentum and whether Bedkowski can translate his added strength and leadership role into the sort of steadying influence a young roster tends to need. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Are Making A Fresh Pitch To Win Ottawa Back
The Ottawa Senators used a media event this week to put a fresh face on their latest offseason push, introducing a new campaign built around a slogan meant to capture the kind of identity the franchise wants to project heading into the 2026-27 season. The club also used the setting to spotlight the improvements made since its latest playoff elimination, part of a broader effort to reconnect with a fan base that has watched plenty of turnover in recent years.
Behind the scenes, the marketing department framed the message as more than a tagline, tying it to the teams larger effort to make supporters feel part of what comes next. There is also a sign the pitch may be landing, with season ticket sales sitting above where they were a year ago, even as the real test remains whether the roster changes and the new branding can translate into something sturdier when the games count again. [Read more 🡒]