Sens rookie makes presence felt

Before playing his first game in an Ottawa Senators uniform Friday, Brady Tkachuk was asked if he would have extra motivation playing against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Canadiens, you see, passed on Tkachuk in order to select Jesperi Kotkaniemi third overall at June’s NHL entry draft. The Senators then snatched Tkachuk with the fourth choice.

“I don’t really think about it like that,” Tkachuk said. “One team is rivals with another team.”

But after watching Tkachuk bulldoze his way through the Canadiens during the Senators 4-0 romp at Place Bell Laval to open the rookie tournament, you can’t help but wonder if the draft slight was in the back of his mind.

Tkachuk scored a pair of secondperiod goals — the first after a set of nifty dekes in the slot, the second on a 5-on-3 power play advantage — and threw his body around from the opening shift onward.

It’s but one rookie game in what’s shaping up to be an extended audition for Tkachuk to crack the Senators lineup, but it was quite the dazzling, dominating debut. When he was on the ice, he was noticeable. One way or another.

The Senators outshot the Canadiens 33-15 overall.

“That was a great win by the team,” Tkachuk said. “This game was pretty hyped up from our end asarivalrygame,soitwasjusta lot of fun to finally wear the jersey and get started. Summer’s over and hockey’s back.”

Tkachuk was diplomatic when asked about an exchange with Kotkaniemi before and after he scored.

“He’s such a great player,” he said. “The Canadiens should be happy with who they picked.”