The six-week span between Canadian and American Thanksgiving marks Brady Tkachuk’s entire recovery from a thumb injury.
The last time the captain was in the lineup was for the Senators’ home opener during the former, and now he is set to make his return during the latter. The Senators and Blues played once during preseason, but Thursday’s matinee will serve as the first meaningful matchup between the pair.
“Yeah, honestly, if it’s not playing in Ottawa, I think this is top of the list,” said Tkachuk on Thursday. “I only come here once a year and I feel like it always happens around Thanksgiving.”
Tkachuk’s family welcomed the Senators and team staff to their home on Thursday, with all in attendance excited to have the heart and soul winger back leading the team. None more excited, of course, than Tkachuk himself.
“I’m very thankful, very grateful, especially for the people that helped me get back,” said Tkachuk. “The strength staff, the trainers, I’ve got to give a shoutout to the equipment staff, even though they provided very little over six weeks,” he laughed.
“But no, overall, just a lot of great human beings here. I’m just so thankful for my family, you know, just thankful for being able to play the game I love again. It was a long six weeks, there were some tough stretches, there were some highs, there were some lows. I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity to be playing again and really excited to join the boys.”
