Brady Tkachuk's brain is already in Stanley Cup Playoff mode. The Ottawa Senators forward must now get his body ready.
"I need to make sure I'm ready physically, because mentally I've been waiting for this moment," Tkachuk said Thursday. "But I'm not worried about that."
The Senators captain, who has missed the past six games, hasn't played since sustainining an upper-body injury during a 1-0 overtime loss at the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 30. He returned to practice on Thursday in preparation for the Senators' first playoff game since Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Final, a 3-2 double overtime loss to the Penguins.
"Feeling good, yeah, progressing day in and day out," Tkachuk said. "My focus is feeling good today. I think I'm starting to skate tomorrow, so I'm excited about that. Just going to continue to get better every single day."
When asked if he will be ready to go when the postseason begins next week, Tkachuk said: "I don't think I'd ever miss an opportunity to play in the playoffs, but I'm not looking too far in advance. I'm looking forward to skating tomorrow, feeling good and going from there."
Listening to Tkachuk, it's clear he's excited to finally play in the postseason. Selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Tkachuk has played in 511 regular-season games, but the Senators missed the playoffs in each of his first six seasons.
This season, Ottawa clinched a postseason berth on Tuesday, qualifying despite a 5-2 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets after the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1.
"I was in bed," Tkachuk said. "I was watching the game and I quickly switched over to the other game because we were getting a little slapped. I was like, 'All right, it's not happening the way we want it to,' so I watched the other game and saw that [Canadiens] empty-netter and was pretty fired up.
"It was great. I wish I could've been with the guys there to enjoy that moment, but it made today that much better to share it with those guys, talk with these guys. It was a pretty awesome feeling and just knowing that there's a lot more to come. It's one thing to be happy and feel that relief, but I don't feel like there's any sort of complacency in this room, and we want more."
Tkachuk said he's happiest for defenseman Thomas Chabot, who will get his first taste of the playoffs in his eighth full NHL season after being selected by the Senators in the first round (No. 18) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Tkachuk added that the down years for the Senators can only help them now.
"It was bound to happen, but I think everything happens for a reason," Tkachuk said. "I think we're not the same people if things are different. This moment's a little bit different if all the lows didn't happen. Everything that's happened in our careers, in our life, has shaped us into who we are as people, as leaders.
"Maybe the change of mentality that we needed this year was about doing whatever it takes to win, and I think that's shown. As hard as it was to not play in the playoffs for my career, and I know 'Chabby,' for his career, this sets up the stage that much better for us, and I truly believe everything happens for a reason."
The Senators (43-30-6) are five points ahead of the Canadiens for the first wild card from the Eastern Conference after winning head to head against Montreal on Friday, 5-2. They have three regular-season games left to determine where they will finish and who they will play in the Eastern Conference First Round.
However, whether Tkachuk takes the ice for Game 1 remains to be seen.
"Obviously, I want to play," he said. "I don't like watching. The guys have really helped me out the last bunch of games, putting us in the position that we're in. For me, it's about continuing to get better. I'm just going to continue to repeat that. Feeling good, feeling better, excited to skate tomorrow."
NHL.com independent correspondent Callum Fraser contributed to this report
