Mar 25, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) during a stoppage in play against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

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Ottawa Senators Playoff Push Continues Without Brady Tkachuk Due To Upper-Body Injury

Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk is sidelined with an upper-body injury as the Senators fight for a playoff spot. See how his absence impacts the lineup.

The Ottawa Senators are pushing hard to secure their playoff spot, but they’ll have to do it without their captain, at least for now. Forward Brady Tkachuk has been ruled out of Tuesday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres due to an upper-body injury.

Tkachuk suffered the injury in Sunday’s 1-0 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins after taking a hard hit from Ryan Graves late in the second period. Graves received a minor penalty for interference on the play, but the bigger concern for Ottawa is their captain’s health. This latest setback adds to a series of injuries Tkachuk has been battling this season.

Ottawa Senators will be without captain Brady Tkachuk against Sabres https://t.co/o7bVXHmpwn pic.twitter.com/zEtdHoNkxR
— Ottawa Sun (@ottawasuncom) April 1, 2025

Back in February, while representing the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, he picked up a lower-body injury that sidelined him for two games and caused him to miss multiple practices. More recently, on March 13, he briefly exited a game against the Boston Bruins with a hip issue but managed to return two nights later against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite playing through the pain, the 25-year-old has remained a key contributor for the Senators, leading the team with 29 goals and adding 26 assists in 71 games this season.

With Tkachuk unavailable, Ottawa has adjusted its lineup. Michael Amadio will move up to the third line, while Angus Crookshank, freshly recalled from the Belleville Senators, will get another chance to prove himself. Crookshank, who has appeared in just one NHL game this season, skated alongside Adam Gaudette and Matthew Highmore on the fourth line during Tuesday morning’s practice.

Losing Tkachuk at such a crucial moment in the playoff race is a tough blow for the Senators, but they’ll have to find a way to keep their momentum going without their captain on the ice.

Image Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Brady Tkachuk

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Anamika Shrivastava

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