Ostapchuk expects his NHL debut tonight to be "a really special moment for me and my mom."

Another Belleville Senator gets an NHL taste tonight. 

This time, it's Zack Ostapchuk, Ottawa's second-round pick (39th overall) from the 2021 Draft. The six-foot-3, 205-pound centre makes his NHL debut as the Senators host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ostapchuk was just two years old when Sidney Crosby made his NHL debut in 2005, Tonight, he might even take a faceoff or two against the future Hall of Famer. 

But that's not the person on Ostapchuk's mind on a night like this. It's his mom, Charlene, who was thrilled to get the phone call from her son that his dream was about to come true.

"Yeah, I think she was a little surprised at first, and then she got a little choked up," Ostapchuk said. "That was a pretty emotional call, just thanking her for everything she's done for me and helping me get to this point."

Charlene has flown in from Vancouver to be with Zack and see the game.

"My dream as a little kid is coming true tonight," Ostapchuk said. "It's a really special moment for me and my mom. I'm just excited that I can share that with her.

"Ever since I was 14, I mean, she's a single mom. So she just brings me to the rink and she's always up early. I mean, she's my one form of transportation. So I can't thank her enough for that and always taking care of me and always making me believe that this could come true. And I think she really pushed that into me. So I can't thank her enough"

Ostapchuk will centre a line tonight with Ridly Greig, his former Team Canada World Junior teammate, on his left wing.

"(Greig) kind of grew up from the other side of Alberta,' Ostapchuk said. "I think he was kind of someone I always had my eye on and kind of wanted to play like him. So, for him to be my teammate tonight, I think it's pretty cool. "

In his rookie AHL season, Ostapchuk currently has 22 points in 56 games. 

He had had 67 points in 55 games in the Western Hockey League last season, but his bread and butter has been the playoffs. In 2021-22 with the Vancouver Giants, Ostapchuk had seven goals and 23 points in 12 post season games, including a shocking first round upset over the number-one seeded Everett Silvertips. Last year, with the Winnipeg Ice, Ostapchuk had 9 goals and 15 points in 18 games.

Oh, and he can also hold his own if the game happens to unravel. With all the recent NHL buzz about fearsome New York Rangers tough guy Matt Rempe, it's worth noting that Ostapchuk fared pretty well against Rempe in a junior bout.