Ottawa Senators star forward Brady Tkachuk is expected to miss four weeks with an injury sustained in the team’s 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Monday, head coach Travis Green told reporters Tuesday.
TSN’s Claire Hanna reports that Tkachuk suffered a hand/wrist injury, and that the team is currently evaluating whether or not surgery will be required to address the issue.
The injury occurred when Tkachuk was cross checked into the boards in the first period on Monday.
Tkachuk, 26, has three points through three games this season. His 29 goals a season ago led all skaters on the Senators, and he has scored at least 29 goals in four consecutive seasons.
Tkachuk is in his eighth season with the Senators after being selected fourth overall by Ottawa in the 2018 NHL Draft.
The news is a bad break for the Senators, who have been blown out twice in three games in the young season and are tied for the second-worst goal differential (minus-6) in the league. They’ll now be without one of their top forwards for around a month.