Ottawa Senators’ captain Brady Tkachuk is set to miss six to eight weeks following a surgical procedure on his right thumb, as confirmed by the NHL franchise on Thursday. The decision for surgery came after owner Michael Andlauer mentioned on Wednesday that Tkachuk was seeking a second opinion regarding the necessity of the operation.
Tkachuk sustained the injury during a game against the Nashville team when he was forcefully pushed into the boards by Roman Josi in the early minutes of the match on Monday night. Despite trying to continue playing, the 26-year-old American winger had to exit the game during the third period.
Undergoing the surgery at this time will allow Tkachuk to potentially make a comeback towards the end of November or early December, well in advance of the Milan-Cortina Olympics scheduled for February. Both Tkachuk and his brother Matthew, a player for the Florida Panthers who is also recovering from an injury and expected to return in December, have been selected to represent the U.S. in the upcoming Olympics.
