Sens' Tkachuk getting 'ready physically' for 1st taste of playoffs
Injured Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is doing all he can to be ready for his first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I need to make sure I'm ready physically because mentally I've been waiting for this moment," Tkachuk told NHL.com. "But I'm not worried about that."
The Senators clinched a playoff berth Tuesday for the first time since 2016-17, but Tkachuk has been out of action since March 30 because of an upper-body ailment.
It's unclear if Tkachuk will suit up in Ottawa's four remaining contests, but he anticipates he'll be ready for Game 1 of the postseason.
"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," Tkachuk said.
He added, "Obviously, I want to play. 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."
The Senators hold the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, three points ahead of the Montreal Canadiens with a crucial meeting between the two clubs on tap Friday. The first wild-card seed will play the Atlantic Division winner.
Tkachuk has notched 29 goals and 26 assists in 71 games this season.