Brady Tkachuk returned to Ottawa and received a wild reception - jerseys flew onto the ice!

Florida Panthers star forward Brady Tkachuk faced his former team, the Ottawa Senators, for the first time in Ottawa last night during the NHL round. The return to his old home arena was anything but warm, as Tkachuk became the target of intense anger from Senators fans.

Tkachuk managed to score in the game, but Ottawa ultimately secured a clear 5–1 victory.

Ottawa fans expressed their dissatisfaction with their former captain even before the game started. Tkachuk was booed during warm-ups, and the crowd also shouted harsh taunts. Fans yelled things like “You can’t read!”, “F*** you, Brady!” and “We don’t need you!”.

The Senators had prepared a tribute video for Tkachuk, reminiscing about his eight-season career in Ottawa. The presentation of the video received a mixed reception, as there were loud boos and whistles from the crowd. There were also some applause.

The fans’ anger was also visibly evident when old Senators jerseys of Tkachuk were thrown onto the ice during the game.

Tkachuk had anticipated such a stunt. He had already announced before the game that he intended to donate any jerseys thrown onto the ice to the local Boys and Girls Club, which supports the well-being of children and youth.

Tkachuk had reason to celebrate in the game right from the first period. He finished Florida’s 1–0 lead goal on the power play and acknowledged the crowd by spreading his arms and shrugging his shoulders after scoring.

Emotions also heated up between the players. In the first period, Tkachuk got into a scuffle with his former teammate Shane Pinto and received a two-minute penalty for the situation. In the final period, he clashed with Ridly Greig, which also resulted in a two-minute penalty.

Tkachuk’s goal remained the only one for the Panthers that night. The Senators came back from a losing position to a convincing 5–1 victory, ending Florida’s three-game winning streak.

The 27-year-old Tkachuk played eight seasons in Ottawa, five of which he served as the team’s captain. He switched teams in June after requesting a trade from the Senators. Moving to Florida also brought him into the same locker room as his older brother Matthew Tkachuk.

Tkachuk has started his season with the Panthers effectively. He has recorded 11 points with 7 goals and 4 assists in ten games.