Senators' Brady Tkachuk: Poised to return Friday

Tkachuk (thumb) announced on his podcast that he plans to suit up against the Blues on Friday, per Alex Adams of Sportsnet.

Tkachuk making his return against his hometown Blues shouldn't come as a surprise, though he'll need to be activated off injured reserve first. That move will likely come sometime after Wednesday's clash with the Golden Knights. Once given the all-clear, Tkachuk figures to slot into a first-line role alongside Tim Stutzle and should link up with the No. 1 power-play unit.