Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said he hopes to return to the lineup Friday against St. Louis following thumb surgery.
“[I] have to check some boxes but everything looks good for Friday,” the 26-year-old said on his Wingmen podcast Wednesday.
Tkachuk has missed 19 games since he was cross-checked into the boards by Nashville’s Roman Josi on Oct. 13, injuring his right thumb. It was Ottawa’s third game of the season.
The Senators have won 11 of their 22 games this season, with an even 71 goals for and 71 against.
The team has a slim hold on a playoff spot in a crowded Eastern Conference and are currently in the middle of a seven-game road trip. The timing of Tkachuk’s likely return lines up with the team’s only visit to the Midwest city where he grew up.
Tkachuk led the Senators in scoring last season with 29 goals, steering the team to its first playoff appearance since 2017.
