“It would be nice to have him out there every single night,” forward Drake Batherson said about his teammate Brady Tkachuk. Unfortunately, the Ottawa Senators captain, also their highest scorer this season, missed his eighth match on Tuesday night against the Blackhawks. Yet, with the Senators clinching a playoff spot for the first time in eight years, the stars have aligned for a legendary battle among rivals.

In just a few days, the Senators will give passionate fans like Paul Bissonnette what they’ve been hearing for: The Battle of Ontario. The last time NHL fans witnessed the legendary rivalry between the Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs battle it out in the playoffs was two decades ago. It’s clear as day why the Senators absolutely need their captain for the clash, a couple of decades in the making.

Thankfully, Brady Tkachuk looks like he is right on time to make a full recovery. TSN’s Bruce Garrioch became the bearer of good news for Senators fans. “A decision on Brady Tkachuk will be made Thursday. Will likely be available to play. That decision is TBD. Most certainly game 1 against Toronto,” wrote the broadcaster. What’s more? Garrioch isn’t the only one saying this.

Ottawa’s General Manager Steve Staios made the same prediction. “I would think that he would be ready for Game 1,” Staios told TSN while discussing the 25-year-old’s probable comeback. While they might have considered waiting a bit longer, it’s safe to say Brady Tkachuk will give it his all to return. After all, it’s not every day you get to be part of the Battle of Ontario.

Yet, coming back won’t be so easy. Although Matthew Tkachuk’s brother has been an ace for the Senators, he isn’t superhuman. Recovery doesn’t discriminate between journeymen and team captains. And that’s why Tkachuk is back in practice. “[Tkachuk] is no different than any other player—you’ve got to come back and get some practice time,” coach Travis Green told TSN. That being said, the excitement for the Battle of Ontario is through the roof.

Brady Tkachuk hopes to become a part of a legacy

While it’s been over two decades since the last Battle of Ontario, the legacy of their rivalry is still alive and well. After all, the two teams have met multiple times during their regular season. What’s more? Even those who played in the past Battles of Ontario remain associated with the sport. Take former goaltender Patrick Lalime, for example.

Lalime played in the four editions of the Battle of Ontario during his time with the Senators. Today, the renowned announcer recalls those games with a lot of fondness. In a statement mirroring Bryan Adams’s famous tune ‘Summer of ’69’ Lalime confessed, “Those were the best games of my life,” to The Athletics Chris Johnston. “I am excited again,” he added about Brady Tkachuk & Co. taking on the Leafs.

Then there’s former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, who led the team against the Leafs in the 2002 battle. Today, Alfredsson is one of Brady Tkachuk and the entire Ottawa team’s mentors, fulfilling the assistant coach role under Travis Green. And here’s the kicker. Green himself played against Ottawa as part of the Leafs roaster in 2002.

By now, it should be apparent that the Battle of Ontario is far more than any hockey game. Its legacy has roots that run throughout the entire history of this NHL rivalry between the two teams. Brady Tkachuk won’t pass up the opportunity to become part of the ever-growing legacy.