Matthew Tkachuk stood up for his younger brother after a tough NHL playoff exit, offering blunt support on their podcast “Wingmen.” With Brady Tkachuk absent, Matthew spoke openly about the frustration following the Ottawa Senators being swept 4–0 by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Matthew said Brady “plays so hard” and “wears his heart on his sleeve,” stressing that his brother fully believed Ottawa could win the Stanley Cup.
“Feel for Brady… He just wanted to win it,” Matthew said. “When you make the playoffs, you believe that your team’s gonna win a Stanley Cup. Doesn’t matter if you’re a one seed or an eight seed. So he’s gotta buy it.”
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The series ended on April 25, 2026, at the Canadian Tire Centre, where Ottawa lost 4–2. The Senators, who entered as the second wild card, managed just five goals across four games. Carolina’s defense and timing proved decisive throughout the series.
Matthew pointed to missed breaks and Carolina’s control when leading games.
“There are some weird things that I thought were gonna go Ottawa’s way that just didn’t,” Matthew said. “The one thing I always find playing Carolina is how good they are with the lead, you know, stingy. The timing of goals from Carolina, too.”
Matthew also highlighted injuries, adding that no team can win under those conditions, calling health the key factor in playoff success.
“Ottawa, I think, had ten or 11 D play in four games,” Matthew said. “That number, you’re not winning. I don’t care what team you are or how deep your roster is, like you just can’t possibly win when that many guys are banged up, that many guys are missing time.
“Health is the number one thing in the playoffs. If you stay healthy, you have a better chance of winning.”
Brady Tkachuk’s playoff struggles stood out. He finished the series without a point and a minus-4 rating. During the regular season, he had 59 points in 60 games despite missing time with an injury. His leadership helped Ottawa reach the postseason again, but the offense never clicked against Carolina.
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Historically, teams rarely recover from a 3-0 deficit, and Ottawa never found that momentum. The Hurricanes controlled every game, never trailing in the series.