Brady Tkachuk’s been riding the waves lately—kinda caught in that weird in-between space where you’re itching to play but the body’s calling timeout. It all started back in February at the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he took a gnarly spill while charging the net against Sweden. One wrong edge, a hard crash into goalie Samuel Ersson, and boom—the net went flying, and so did Brady’s game. He tried to tough it out with a couple quick shifts, even skated during a TV break like the warrior he is, but by the second period? Done for the night.

And ever since then, it’s been a back-and-forth dance with the injury bug—on the bench, off the ice, rinse and repeat. But hey—just when you think the dude’s vanishing into the shadows, he pops back up for something kinda heartwarming. No gear, no gloves, just good vibes. But then came a plot twist no one saw coming—this time, Brady Tkachuk was back at the rink, but not lacing up for a shift. Instead, he showed up for something a little extra special.

TSN’s Ottawa reporter Claire Hanna jumped on X this April 5 and dropped the kind of wholesome rink moment that fans live for. She posted a video of Brady Tkachuk—dressed not in his usual game-day armor but all formal and fresh—gliding across the ice in his regular shoes like it was no big deal. “Brady Tkachuk came onto the ice after the #Sens win to congratulate Carp product, linesperson Derek Nansen, who just worked his 1470th & final NHL game after a 23 year career. Smooth ice-shuffle moves from the Captain,” she captioned, and yep, Brady’s little victory lap across that slick sheet was just as iconic as it sounds.

But the cherry on top? The captain didn’t just give Nansen a warm hug—he handed over one of his own jerseys, adding a personal touch to the big send-off. That’s peak Brady energy right there: heart, class, and a little bit of flair all bundled into one cool, skater-shoe-clad moment.

And just like that, the curtain gently closes on a legendary run. Derek Nansen, 53 and still sharp on the skates, is officially calling time on a 23-year NHL career that saw him lace up for 1,467 regular-season games and 65 high-stakes playoff showdowns. It all began back in 2002, when he hit the NHL stage with a matchup between the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals, standing shoulder to shoulder with big-name refs Don Koharski and Scott Zelkin, plus linesman Pat Dapuzzo. Fast-forward four seasons, and Nansen got his playoff call—Penguins vs. Senators, Round 1, 2007—and in a full-circle moment, that milestone game took place right in Ottawa. It’s no wonder that as the #70 looks back on his career, he can find nothing that he’d want to change. “I’m happy with my career. It has been a fun 23 years. I have no regrets or anything like that. It’s time to move on. That’s probably the best way for me to sum it up,” the Ottawa native said.

And the farewell game? Ottawa’s Anton Forsberg came through with a stone-cold 40-save performance, locking down a 3-0 shutout win against the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre—sealing the deal on Nansen’s final shift with style. But hold up—don’t blink just yet! Captain Brady Tkachuk, who’s been nursing that lower-body injury, might just be inching his way back onto the ice. Yep, there is an injury update brewing, and by the looks of it, Brady’s comeback vibes are starting to thaw out.

Brady Tkachuk set to make a comeback?