The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators renewed their playoff hostilities for the first time in 11 years when the two clubs met in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Before Senators captain Brady Tkachuk squared off against Leafs captain Auston Matthews, the two were teammates, representing USA Hockey at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Tkachuk was a guest on the Leafs Morning Take podcast with hosts Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill and was asked what Matthews was like as a teammate. Tkachuk had nothing but praise for the Leafs captain.
"He's just so funny and such a great guy to be around him and it was pretty awesome for me to be able to learn from him and him as a captain and what makes kind of him himself, and of course, one of the best players in the NHL,” Tkachuk said. “And I was just super impressed with how dialed in he was and so professional. How even keel he was, it almost felt like nothing bothers him, and he just is going to go out there lead by example with his work ethic."
Tkachuk noted that Matthews's positive traits often go unnoticed.
"I think a lot of the things that he does go under the radar, and it's just now he's, of course, such an important piece of our team. But I was just very lucky to be able to learn from him as well."
The Maple Leafs defeated the Senators in six games to advance to the second round of the playoffs before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Reflecting on the series, Tkachuk recalled how close the games were and what he learned from the experience in his first taste of NHL postseason play.
"We knew going into it it's probably the deepest team that they've had in the last couple of years," Tkachuk said of the Leafs. "We knew it was going to be a dogfight right from the opening puck drop all the way to the final whistle there."
He acknowledged the "what-ifs" that linger after a hard-fought series.
"Of course, there's a lot of time this summer that you have shoulda coulda wouldas. And I mean Game 2, 3 and 4, all were decided in overtime. Just a one-shot difference."
Tkachuk believes the playoff experience will make him a better leader in the future. "I think what's great about it is there's so many learning lessons within that that I know I've taken, and I know it's going to make me not just a better player, but a better captain as well."
The Senators made the playoffs for the first time since 2017. There is no reason to believe they won’t be a tougher challenge to the Maple Leafs, who finished the regular season as the Atlantic Division champs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators renewed their playoff hostilities for the first time in 11 years when the two clubs met in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Before Senators captain Brady Tkachuk squared off against Leafs captain Auston Matthews, the two were teammates, representing USA Hockey at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Tkachuk was a guest on the Leafs Morning Take podcast with hosts Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill and was asked what Matthews was like as a teammate. Tkachuk had nothing but praise for the Leafs captain.
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