Senators’ captain Brady Tkachuk ‘fired up’ about couple’s first child

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Brady Tkachuk was smiling from ear-to-ear Thursday morning.

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As he prepared to face the St. Louis Blues at the Canadian Centre Thursday night, the Ottawa Senators’ captain was thrilled to confirm that he’s about to become a father for the first time.

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The 24-year-old Tkachuk and his wife Emma posted the news on Instagram Wednesday afternoon after learning  earlier this month that she’s expecting a baby boy.

“It’s been hard to keep a secret for the last little bit,” Tkachuk said before facing St. Louis. “Now that it’s out there I’m fired up. It’s a pretty neat feeling that I really can’t describe right now.

“(Emma’s) doing well. She’s hanging in there. The excitement from both families right now is pretty awesome.”

After returning from the club’s Western road swing to California on March 10, Tkachuk raced home from the airport to hold a private gender-reveal party with Emma. The couple had a white cake with the words “Baby Tkachuk” on the front and cut into it to find out whether it would be a boy or girl.

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“It was just for the both of us. We found out mid-road trip in California, but we couldn’t open it up until we both got back to Ottawa,” Tkachuk said. “It was a mad dash from the plane back to the house, but it was a pretty special moment.

“We did the cake and we saw the colour blue in the cut and it was pretty cool. I’m not going to lie to you. It was pretty special. We sent the videos to just our families so that we could see their reactions too

“It’s pretty special. We’re so lucky and so blessed for this to happen to us. We’re just excited for September now.”

Tkachuk and Emma were married last summer during a ceremony near her home in New Jersey. The couple met while attending Boston University and got engaged during the summer of 2022.

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Tkachuk has always had a soft spot in his heart for children, and all you have to do is watch him interact with them when they’re at practice. Nobody has more fun with Claude Giroux’ toddlers, Gavin and Palmer, than Tkachuk.

Last year, Tkachuk and Emma also launched an initiative with the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club, which has more than 4,500 members.

Not only do they make regular visits to the clubhouse, but there will also be a new program called “Tkachuk’s Captains” to develop youth leadership. Participants will be appointed by BGC Ottawa.

As you can imagine, Tkachuk’s father, Keith, a former NHLer now working as a scout for the Blues, and mother, Chantal, were thrilled to hear the news of a grandchild, as were Emma’s parents.

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“Just to see my parents and Emma’s parents’ reactions, and of course our siblings, it’s something that we’ll both never forget,” Tkachuk said

Tkachuk’s brother, Matthew, 26, a high-scoring winger with the Florida Panthers, has already declared he wants a role in the newcomer’s life.

“Oh, he’s fired up,” Tkachuk said of Matthew. “He’s already expecting to be the godfather. He said that right away. That’s his expectation and he’ll be disappointed if not. So, I’ll guess we’ll have to figure that one out.”

Selected No. 4 overall by the Senators in 2018, Tkachuk has basically grown up in Ottawa since leaving Boston that fall. He was named the club’s captain after signing a long-term deal in October 2021.

When asked to reflect on the changes in his life since he suited up for his first National Hockey League game on Oct. 8, 2018 against the Boston Bruins, the memories came flooding back.

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“Definitely (taking a trip) down memory lane, I think about my first day here,”  Tkachuk said.. “And now, here, six years later, it’s been a whirlwind. A lot of unbelievable memories here. I love playing here. I love being in this city. This city is home.

“To start a family and be here, it’s super special to me and my wife.”

THE FINAL BUZZER

Alternate captain Claude Giroux suited up against the Blues. He was feeling under the weather and wasn’t on the ice for the morning skate. The club brought up winger Angus Crookshank from its American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville to dress, but that wasn’t necessary. Injured forward Rourke Chartier was on the ice Thursday morning in a non-contact jersey … Interim coach Jacques Martin did make one change by placing defenceman Travis Hamonic in the lineup. He missed 10 games with an undisclosed lower body injury he suffered Feb. 27 against Nashville. The decision to dress Hamonic meant that Jacob Bernard-Docker was a healthy scratch. Martin wanted to get Hamonic back on the ice. Former captain Daniel Alfredsson took Martin’s place at the podium after the morning skate because Martin had an appoint and wasn’t on hand.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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