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Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk might be dealing with a serious issue, according to a renowned medical expert.

The Ottawa Senators locked up their ticket to the 2026 NHL playoffs, but not without alarming news regarding their captain, Brady Tkachuk.

Tkachuk left the game in the second period after a seemingly innocuous collision with New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock. Pulock ran into Tkachuk as he got on the ice during a line change.

Following the relatively minor impact, the Senators’ captain struggled to stay on his feet. He seemed unable to keep his balance while making his way to the bench. He stayed on the bench talking to the training staff, but ultimately left the game.

Unfortunately, there is no clarity on what the issue could be. That’s why a renowned medical expert, Dr. Harjas Grewal, ventured to shed some light on the matter. In his expert opinion, the Senators’ star could be dealing with a potentially serious ailment.

While Tkachuk has had his share of injuries over the years, he hasn’t dealt with concussion issues. That’s why this injury seems alarming for Senators fans and everyone else around the league.

Insider Elliotte Friedman added this update during the April 11 segment of Saturday Headlines.

“I think we’ll get more clarity or an update tomorrow, but the word we’re getting is that he’s still getting tested, but thankfully, it’s not expected to be anything significant.”

However, as Grewal noted, the Senators’ Tkachuk could be dealing with an issue like Vertigo, which might not necessarily be life-threatening, but certainly disruptive for an athlete. The hope is that it was just a one-off incident and might go away with some rest.

Senators Should Shut Down Tkachuk for Rest of Season

Even if Tkachuk’s ailment is not serious, the Senators should still go ahead and shut him down for the remainder of the season. The Sens have already locked down their playoff spot. The club beat the New York Islanders 3-0, and combined with the Detroit Red Wings’ 5-3 defeat to the New Jersey Devils, the Senators officially clinched their playoff spot.

That said, Ottawa has two games remaining. Unless Tkachuk is absolutely fine, the team should consider shutting him down just to give him a breather.

The Senators will play on Sunday night against the Devils, and will close out their season next Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As such, the need to deploy Tkachuk may not be quite as urgent for Ottawa, given the circumstances.

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Missing Tkachuk Would Be Devastating in Playoffs

The bigger question at hand for the Ottawa Senators would be the possibility of missing Brady Tkachuk in the playoffs.

With the Sens potentially facing the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the 2026 NHL playoffs, playing without Tkachuk would be devastating for the team. The loss of their captain, both his offense and leadership, would be impossible to make up for.

Yes, the Senators have played without their captain in the past. And yes, they’ve been successful. The situation is, nonetheless, alarming for the team as a whole. The hope is that Tkachuk will be fine and need nothing more than a couple of days off.