Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone discussed his former teammate Brady Tkachuk on Tuesday, highlighting their shared history from their Ottawa days before Stone was traded in 2019. Stone, who later secured an eight-year, $76 million contract with Vegas through the 2026-27 season, offered insights into Brady Tkachuk NHL leadership growth as a key theme.
Stone shared respect for both Tkachuk brothers but admitted that facing Brady on the ice is a challenging experience.
“I love both those guys, but I’d be lying if I said I wanted to play every night against them,” Stone said (38:20), via the ‘Coming In Hot Podcast.’
“That’s for sure. I mean, there were some nights I didn’t even want to be on Brady’s line in Ottawa, because he knew you were going to have to be in a scrum every second whistle. You know, like, ‘Alright, buddy. Let’s just — let’s just relax here.’” —Mark Stone
Stone also highlighted Brady’s development into a more valuable and mature player on the ice.
“I think he’s starting to realize how valuable he is on the ice,” Stone said. “He’s their engine.” —Mark Stone
According to Stone, the early difficulties that Brady experienced in his career helped shape his determination and leadership qualities.
“Even the negatives probably put it in his mind like, ‘I don’t want to be back there,’” Stone said. —Mark Stone
Mark Stone’s NHL Career and Contributions
Mark Stone has completed 13 NHL seasons to date, splitting his time between Ottawa and Vegas. In the 2024-25 regular season, he recorded 19 goals and 48 assists, accumulating 67 points with a plus-22 rating. His playoff performance included four goals and four assists across 10 games before an injury sidelined him. Stone continues to play a leadership role while demonstrating resilience and skill on the ice.
When reflecting on his relationship with Brady, Stone noted that Tkachuk’s perseverance through adversity has been notable.
“He’s really done a good job at getting through that adversity,” Stone said. —Mark Stone
Tkachuk, in turn, acknowledged Stone’s mentorship during his NHL transition in 2019, emphasizing Stone’s supportive role away from the rink.
“He welcomed me into his home when he didn’t have to,” Tkachuk said, via NHL.com. “He kind of took me under his wing, and it means so much to me.” —Brady Tkachuk
Brady Tkachuk’s Motivation from Brother Matthew’s Success
Following a strong 2023-24 season that led the Ottawa Senators into the playoffs, Brady Tkachuk tallied 29 goals and 26 assists during the regular season. His playoffs contributions included four goals and three assists over six games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, highlighted by a standout three-point performance in Game 5. Although the Senators did not advance, these performances marked progress for the team.
Brady expressed admiration for elite teams like the Florida Panthers, aiming to emulate their style to help elevate the Senators.
“They’re such a beast of a team,” Tkachuk said in June, via The Hockey News. —Brady Tkachuk
His brother Matthew has won two Stanley Cups with Florida, which has been a source of inspiration for Brady.
“If that’s the team we can be in Ottawa, that would be a pretty good team,” he added. —Brady Tkachuk
Brady hopes that continued progress will build a Senators team capable of competing at the highest level in the NHL, fueled by his personal growth and leadership evolution.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why does Brady Tkachuk wear 7?
A. Brady Tkachuk chose the number seven because his father used it, making it special to their family. When they were young, both Brady and his brother Matthew also wore number seven. Although they didn’t play on the same team, they were part of the same organization, the St. Louis Triple-A Blues.