Sens captain Brady Tkachuk says that watching his brother Matthew and the Florida Panthers has fuelled him with extra motivation for next season.

Very few players in NHL history have ever had a conference final performance like the one Matthew Tkachuk just had for Florida. 

In a four-game sweep of Carolina, Tkachuk scored the overtime winner in a seven-period marathon in Game 1. He then scored another overtime winner in Game 2 and finally, yet another game-winner with 5 seconds left in regulation to clinch the series in Game 4.

Speaking on TSN 1050 Radio in Toronto Friday, Senators' captain Brady Tkachuk, was just as impressed with his brother's performance as everyone else was.

"It's definitely been special just to see him find that next level," Tkachuk said. "As his brother, (I've been) trying my best to support him in every way I can. Honestly, it's been a great experience for me (to see) what he's putting into it.

"I said this earlier, he's single-handedly put them in this position and he just keeps stepping up at the right times. And it's been great for me to see what he's doing and it's created this extra motivation for myself. That's something I want to do and I want to provide to Ottawa."

It isn't lost on Tkachuk that, during the regular season, Matthew and the Panthers really weren't that much better than the Senators.

"We were six points behind them, you know? And I think the biggest lesson that everybody's learning is that once you get in, anything can happen."

While he waits for the Senators' post-season turn, Tkachuk has been his brother's biggest cheerleader the last two seasons. He was right in the crowd whooping it up with Calgary fans during the Flames' run last year.

Tkachuk has been a little less visible this year in the Panthers' run to the Stanley Cup Final. While he hopes Matthew soon gets a chance to drink from hockey's ultimate prize, Brady spent a little time with another special trophy that found its way to a Florida game last week. Panther fan Brooks Koepka won the PGA Championship a few days earlier and Brady couldn't resist an invitation to take a little sip from it.

When it comes to the ongoing Sens ownership saga, Tkachuk says he doesn't know anything more than the fans do.

"I don't know too much (about) what's going on in the background. And of course it's exciting... It's been a long process for everybody and I think everybody's just interested and intrigued about what's gonna happen...

"But I'm excited. I think they're inheriting a great group of guys and a team that could do a lot of special things down the road."