The Ottawa Senators entered the 2025/26 NHL season with hopes riding high and expectations soaring among fans and analysts alike. After years of rebuilding and roster changes, this was supposed to be the campaign where everything finally came together. Early glimpses of promise, combined with a dramatic opening game victory, set the stage for what many believed could be a breakthrough year in Ottawa. But as the season began to unfold, unexpected challenges quickly cast a shadow over the team’s ambitions.

Injuries have become an unwelcome theme for the Senators, with key players already sidelined in the opening weeks. The situation took a dramatic turn during a recent matchup, leaving fans and insiders anxiously awaiting updates and searching for answers. Whispers of a “significant” setback have started to circulate, fueling speculation and concern throughout the hockey world. The absence of a crucial leader could change the trajectory of the entire season, raising questions about the team’s depth and resilience.

What exactly happened on the ice, and just how long will Ottawa be without one of its most important players? As details remain scarce and uncertainty looms, the Senators must confront a new reality—one that could either unite them or threaten to unravel their season before it truly begins.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.

Photo credit: TSN

The Ottawa Senators are hoping for a big year in 2025/26, but now they’ve been dealt a big blow with a significant injury to their captain Brady Tkachuk.

The Ottawa Senators have been off to a rough start in 2025/26, as they followed up a big opening game victory with back-to-back losses against the Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers as they now sit at 1-2-0 early in the new campaign.

However, they’ve been dealing with plenty of injury issues early in the season, namely to star winger Drake Batherson, but now, they’ve got an even bigger injury issue to worry about moving forward.

Senators Will Lose Their Captain for Significant Amount of Time

During their latest loss to the Predators, the Senators saw captain Brady Tkachuk go down with injury, and now, they may be missing him for a significant stretch after an update from reporters.

According to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, Tkachuk is out for what is being labelled a ‘significant time’, and while no further details come along with how long that is, Garrioch labels it as ‘at least four weeks’, meaning this is a major blow for the Senators.

If it is just for four weeks, this team has the talent to survive the injury and continue pushing for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but if it’s longer than that, there could be significant worries for Ottawa.

Ultimately though, most teams deal with this type of injury, and with solid depth, there’s plenty of optimism that they can keep thriving even in Tkachuk’s absence, but for right now, there will be plenty of worry for these Senators.