Brady Tkachuk is entering his eighth season in the National Hockey League and his fifth as captain of the Ottawa Senators. To Ottawa hockey fans, he's already super famous, and probably rivals Daniel Alfredsson as the most popular player in franchise history.
But over the past couple of years, Tkachuk has become a household name to hockey fans outside the nation’s capital. Things really went to the next level for Tkachuk back in February at the Four Nations Faceoff. Not only was he one of Team USA’s best players in the tournament, but the pre–face-off antics he and his brother Matthew sparked against Team Canada had the entire hockey world buzzing.
Since then, Tkachuk was named one of the six players on the American preliminary roster for the 2026 Olympics. That list — which also includes his brother — features players considered locks for the tournament.
Tkachuk also got his first taste of Stanley Cup playoff hockey in the spring, further elevating his status across the league.
The Tkachuk family graces the recently released deluxe edition of EA Sports’ NHL 26, and Brady is now one of the stars of Prime Video’s new series Faceoff: Inside The NHL, which launches October 3 after a special advance screening last week.
As his fame continues to grow, Tkachuk and the Senators are halfway through their preseason and preparing for an exhibition game in Quebec City against the Montreal Canadiens. The Montreal media always seems especially interested in him — perhaps because it's hard to forget the one that got away.
Back in the 2018 NHL Draft, Tkachuk was available when the Canadiens selected third overall, but they chose Jesperi Kotkaniemi, leaving Ottawa to scoop up Tkachuk with pick number four, to the delight of Sens fans.
On Monday, defenseman Jake Sanderson and head coach Travis Green were peppered with questions about Tkachuk’s leadership.
“Yeah, I think he's all types of leader," Sanderson said. "He's loud, he talks, he leads by example. He brings it every single day on the ice, so I think there's not really one area where he lacks. I feel like he's just all-around the best leader in every single aspect.”
Because Tkachuk is so well-liked and personable (and really good), no one in Ottawa ever thinks of him in the villain's role. But that's how most of the other teams and fan bases see him. Sanderson was asked if Tkachuk embraces that villain role.
“I think so. I think in some heated games, especially against the Canadian rivalry when we're winning, you can see some smirks on his face. It can be a lot of pressure for him, too, at times. He's so young, but at the same time, it's so impressive how he deals with it all. He's a special person.”
As for Tkachuk’s rising profile, Sanderson noted that his teammates have seen it coming for some time.
“I think everybody on our team knew he was already like that. He was already that figure, I would say. I think it all started last year at the Four Nations, a coming-out party for him on the world stage. Everybody saw what kind of player he is. I think guys around the league already knew, but I think fans that didn't know much about him know a lot now and know what he's capable of.”
Head coach Travis Green also fielded questions about the development of Tkachuk’s leadership.
“He's grown a lot," Green said. "Anytime you're a young captain in the league, young captain in the Canadian market, you know, it takes time. You don't just all of a sudden become a captain, and you're your best version of what you're going to be. I think the captain he was day one is a lot different than the captain he is today, which is still going to be different in another few years. I thought last year he took a lot of big steps in that department.”
Green was asked to elaborate on what those big steps were.
“Just maturity. You know, you've got to understand he's also an emotional player. And I find with guys that play on the edge a little bit and they're part of your leadership group, managing that emotion between on the ice, off the ice, is a lot easier said than done. And he's really matured in that area.”
Another area of growth for Tkachuk would be improvement in point production. Is there potential for more? Through seven seasons, he's had a point per game season only once – an 83-point effort in 2022-23. In Matthew's seventh season, he already had two 100-point years to his credit.
They're not the same players, of course, but after getting hurt at the 4-Nations and finishing with just 55 points in 72 games, it's another reason to label Brady as an extra-motivated player. He just got a taste of the playoffs and wants more. More than the points, he'd like to close the gap in team success after Matthew has gone to three straight Cup finals and won the last two.
It will be good to see what a healthy, mature, and motivated Brady can do this season. And as his career progresses and the fame continues to grow, he's solidifying his place not only in Sens history but also as one of the faces of the NHL.
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