Summary:
- Brady Tkachuk will make his first return to Ottawa as a Florida Panther on October 21
- The former Senators captain spent eight seasons with the franchise before requesting a trade
- Sergei Bobrovsky and Brendan Gallagher are also set for emotional returns to former teams this season
The NHL’s 2026-27 schedule is officially out, and one date immediately stands above the rest for Ottawa hockey fans: Brady Tkachuk’s return to the Canadian Tire Center.
The former Ottawa Senators captain, who was traded to the Florida Panthers earlier this summer, will make his first appearance back in the nation’s capital on October 21 when the Panthers visit the Senators.
Tkachuk’s homecoming is expected to be one of the most emotional moments of the upcoming NHL season. The 26-year-old spent all eight years of his NHL career in Ottawa, serving as captain for the past five seasons before requesting a trade to join the reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers.
The blockbuster deal sent Tkachuk to Florida in exchange for the No. 9 and No. 25 selections in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in 2029, and a second-round pick in 2027. Ottawa later flipped the ninth overall pick to the San Jose Sharks, acquiring forwards William Eklund and Kasper Halttunen, along with the rights to Brandon Svoboda.
Tkachuk: “Their Sole Focus Is a Stanley Cup”
Speaking after the trade, Tkachuk said his decision was motivated by a desire to compete for championships.
To be a part of a Stanley Cup-winning team is something that has always been my motivation. Their sole focus is a Stanley Cup.
Tkachuk leaves Ottawa as one of the most important players in franchise history. During his tenure, he led the Senators in goals (213), points (463), shots (2,202), hits (1,921), power-play goals (62), game-winning goals (28), and penalty minutes (821).
His move to Florida also reunites him with his brother Matthew Tkachuk, creating one of the NHL’s most intriguing storylines heading into the new season.
The NHL schedule also features several other notable reunion games. Former Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, will return to Sunrise on March 6 after helping the Panthers win two Stanley Cups.
That same day, Brendan Gallagher will make his return to Montreal as a member of the Vancouver Canucks following his departure from the Canadiens after 14 seasons.
Elsewhere, Pavel Dorofeyev will face his former team, the Vegas Golden Knights, on March 13, while Leo Carlsson and the Anaheim Ducks will visit Philadelphia on Oct. 24 following the Flyers’ unsuccessful attempt to lure him away via an offer sheet.
For Senators fans, however, all eyes will be on Oct. 21, when Brady Tkachuk returns home wearing Panthers colors for the first time.
