It’s undisclosed when Tkachuk sustained the injury. When the NHL season resumed from the 4-Nations Face-Off break in February, Tkachuk had missed two games to a lower-body injury that he endured during the tournament.
“It’s been a long process for him, but great to see him on the ice,” head coach Travis Green said on Thursday to NHL.com. “Any time a guy is hurt with that type of injury and that amount of time, people don’t see what the players go through to get back and play.
It’s been a grind for him. He brings a lot of energy to our group, so it was good to see him out there.” Now with eight games remaining in their regular season campaign, the Senators are positioned in the first wild card spot with 84 points. They hold a five-point lead on the trailing clubs vying for the last ticket in.
In 71 games this season, Tkchuk leads the Senators with 29 goals and 26 assists. After having missed Thursday’s morning skate, Green announced that Tkachuk will miss his second consecutive game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Green labeled him as day-to-day.
“The thing about Brady is, he wants to play more than I want him to play, and that’s a lot,” Green said. “So, he’ll play as soon as he’s ready. … It’s just that he’s not ready to play.”
The Senators are looking to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years when they made it to the Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
