Brady Tkachuk excited to form divisional rivalry with brother Matthew

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is eager to see older brother Matthew on a more regular basis during the 2022-23 regular season.

The Calgary Flames dealt the elder Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers last week in the most stunning move of the offseason. The blockbuster trade brought the superstar siblings together within the Atlantic Division.

"It's going to be nice to see him pretty regularly," Brady told Sportsnet's "The Fan Morning Show" on Wednesday. "Of course, they're going to be some big games because both teams fight for a playoff spot and will fight to move on in the playoffs.

"We're probably going to cross paths in some very important games, so I feel like it's going to be really exciting for the both of us and nerve-racking for some of the people in the family, but we're excited for that. We're excited to be able to see each other more and just play those big-time games against one another."

The Panthers won the division and Presidents' Trophy last season, and the club should contend again in 2022-23. The Senators appear to be on the upswing for the next campaign after years of rebuilding. Ottawa added Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux this offseason to complement a burgeoning young core spearheaded by Brady.

The Tkachuk brothers squared off only twice per season when Matthew suited up for the Flames, with the exception of the shortened 2021 campaign that featured an all-Canadian division due to the pandemic.

The brothers have followed each other closely throughout their young careers, most notably this past spring when Brady passionately cheered on Matthew with the Calgary crowd during the playoffs.