Tkachuk was once thought of a centerpiece for the Senators to build their core around. Drafted fourth overall in the 2018 draft, he quickly became the face of the franchise due to his hard-nosed on-ice play and the volume of shots he takes. He also became one of the most hated players by other fan bases due to his ability to get under the skin of his opponents.
Tkachuk was named captain of the Senators in November of 2021, less than a month after he signed a 7-year extension with the club after a very public set of negotiations. His deal carries a cap hit of $8.2M per season until the end of 2027-2028 season.