Braeden Tkachuk^[1] (/kəˈtʃʌk/kə-CHUK; born September 16, 1999) is an American professionalice hockeyleft winger andcaptain of theOttawa Senators of theNational Hockey League (NHL). Tkachuk was chosen by the Senators as the fourth overall pick in the2018 NHL entry draft. Prior to turning professional, Tkachuk played one season for theBoston University Terriers, earningAll-Hockey East Rookie Team honors.

Brady Tkachuk
Tkachuk with theOttawa Senators in 2023
Born	(1999-09-16)September 16, 1999 (age 25) Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	221 lb (100 kg; 15 st 11 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team	Ottawa Senators
National team	United States
NHL draft	4th overall,2018 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	2018–present

Internationally, Tkachuk has represented the US at the2017 IIHF World U18 Championships,2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and the2024 IIHF World Championship.

After playing for the St. Louis AAA Blues U16 and committing to theUSA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP), Tkachuk agreed to play for Boston University (BU) once he had completed two seasons with the NTDP.^[2] In his play for the BU Terriers, he scored four goals and ten assists in 19 games as a freshman before making the U.S. under-20 national team for the2018 World Junior Championships.^[3] Nearing the end of theNCAA season, Tkachuk was selected for the Hockey East Rookie Team after ranking fifth on the team in points.^[4][5]

Leading up to the2018 NHL entry draft, Tkachuk was ranked second overall for North American skaters by theNHL Central Scouting Bureau.^[6] He was eventually drafted fourth overall by theOttawa Senators. Tkachuk signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Senators on August 13, 2018, forgoing his remaining three years of NCAA eligibility.^[7][8] After participating in the Senators preseason games, Tkachuk was sidelined for the Senators' first two regular season games with a groin injury. He eventually made his NHL debut on October 8 in a 6–3 loss to theBoston Bruins.^[9] The following game, on October 10, Tkachuk recorded his first career NHL goal, and first multi-goal game, in a loss to thePhiladelphia Flyers. He became the fastest Tkachuk to record his first NHL goal, surpassing hisbrother andfather.^[10] On October 17, after skating in four games for the Senators, it was announced that Tkachuk had a torn ligament in his leg and was set to be out for a month to recover.^[11] Tkachuk eventually returned to the Senators line-up on November 8, 2018, for a game against theVegas Golden Knights.^[12] On March 28, 2019, in a game against theFlorida Panthers, Tkachuk tied the Senators' franchise record for most shots on goal in a game with 12. In the same game, he scored his 20th goal of the season to tieAlexandre Daigle for the Senators' record for most goals by a teenage player in a season.^[13] Tkachuk finished the2018–19 season with 22 goals, the second-highest among NHL rookies, behindElias Pettersson's 28.^[14]

Tkachuk was named an alternate captain in the2020–21 season.^[15] Tkachuk was selected to replace the injuredAuston Matthews on theAtlantic Division roster for the2020 NHL All-Star Game on January 22, 2020.^[16] He finished the season with 17 goals and 36 points in 56 games and established himself as a pest to opposing teams and a leader to his own.^[17]

On October 14, 2021, Tkachuk signed a seven-year, $57.5 million contract with the Senators.^[18] 22 days later, on November 5, Tkachuk was named as thetenth captain in Senators franchise history.^[19] On November 27, 2021, Tkachuk was bit byBrendan Lemieux of theLos Angeles Kings during a scrum in the corner.^[20] Lemieux was assessed a match penalty and was suspended for five games.^[21] On December 11, 2021, Tkachuk scored his first NHL hat trick againstBrian Elliott in a 4–0 win over theTampa Bay Lightning.^[22] On April 5, 2022, Tkachuk scored a goal and two assists in a 6–3 win over theMontreal Canadiens.^[23]

At the outset of the2022–23 season, Tkachuk was expected to play on the first line withJosh Norris andDrake Batherson.^[24] However, shortly after the season began, Norris suffered a season-ending injury on October 22, 2022.^[25] This forced the Senators to shuffle their forwards, placing Tkachuk on a line withTim Stützle.^[26] On December 2, 2022, in Tkachuk's 300th career game, the Senators captain recorded aGordie Howe hat trick, scoring his 100th and 101st career goals, with the 101st being the game winner in overtime and an assist in a 3–2 overtime win over theNew York Rangers.^[27] Tkachuk was named to theNHL All-Star Game in Florida, representing Ottawa. He played alongside his brother, Matthew, on the Atlantic Division team.^[28] In a February 27, 2023 6–2 win over theDetroit Red Wings, Tkachuk skated over to the Red Wings bench at the end of the second period and challenged the entire Red Wings team. Tkachuk scored a goal in the win, which helped move the Senators closer to a possible playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.^[29] Towards the end of the season, as the Senators sought to get one of the last playoff spots in the conference, Tkachuk registered a goal and an assist in a March 27 5–2 win over the Florida Panthers, who were also vying for a playoff spot.^[30] However, the Senators were eliminated from playoff contention on April 7, 2023 in a 7–2 loss to the Panthers.

Tkachuk was the captain of the gold-winningU.S. under-18 national team at the2017 IIHF World U18 Championships.

Tkachuk was selected to theU.S. under-20 national team for the2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships inBuffalo, New York, winning bronze.^[31]Tkachuk captained Team USA in the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where they placed fifth.

Tkachuk is the son of former NHL playerKeith Tkachuk and was born inScottsdale, Arizona during his father's tenure with thePhoenix Coyotes. He was raised in theSt. Louis suburb ofCreve Coeur, Missouri, after his father's 2001 trade to theBlues.^[32][33][34] His older brother,Matthew, is analternate captain for theFlorida Panthers, and his younger sister, Taryn, was anNCAA Division I field hockey player with theUniversity of Virginia.^[35] Both Tkachuk brothers attended the former Oak Hill School atVilla Duchesne^[36] andChaminade College Preparatory School.^[37]

Tkachuk is ofUkrainian descent on both his maternal and paternal sides; the surnameTkachuk translates toweaver in Ukrainian.^[38][39] He is also ofIrish ancestry on his paternal side.^[39]

The Tkachuk family has been referred to as one branch of "a giant hockey family tree" and Tkachuk is related to several other current and former NHL players and league industry members through both his father's family, originally fromMedford, Massachusetts, and his mother's family, originally fromWinnipeg, Manitoba.^[40] Tkachuk is a second cousin of former NHL player and current General Manager of theNew Jersey Devils,Tom Fitzgerald, as well as a second cousin once-removed toCasey Fitzgerald and Casey's brother,Ryan, who plays in theAHL. He is also a cousin of NHL playerKevin Hayes and his brother,Jimmy Hayes. Tkachuk's maternal uncle is NHL player agent Craig Oster, who represents numerous NHL players includingErik Karlsson,Mark Stone andEvgeny Kuznetsov, as well as both Tkachuk and his brother.^[41]

Tkachuk married his longtime girlfriend Emma Farinacci in July 2023.^[42] Farinacci is the sister of Boston Bruins prospectJohn Farinacci.^[43] Tkachuk welcomed his first child, a son, Ryder, on September 16, 2024 (sharing his birthday).

• Biographical information and career statistics fromNHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database