Road to Recovery | Breakaway Presented by Bell S6 E8

Road to Recovery | Breakaway Presented by Bell S6 E8

Here we are. What’s going on? Here we go. Oh yeah. Here we go, baby. I’m not going around, you know. I just stopped mine. How are you? Good seeing you, too. How’s summer? Yeah, it was good. Have a good season. Thank you. Thank you. It’ll be a fun one. [Music] Let’s go. [Applause] [Music] Yeah. I mean, right when it happened, you know, I think it was just like a perfect push. [Applause] Is that [Applause] such a bone opening spot? Broke my finger. Broke my finger down. Me. Yeah. I I don’t have a right hand. I’ll still throw left at you. Left all broke my finger. I think just had so so much momentum going into the boards and I knew I was going in. So just try to you know protect protect the face and teeth. But uh yeah, I knew right away right when I went in I I went to go grab my stick and I couldn’t grab it with my right hand. I broke my finger. face. Which one? My right. You want the face off? I can’t take a face off. This side. No, it’s my thumb. You’re out there. Let’s go. Outside. [Music] Home opener. You just want to, you know, leave a good taste in in, you know, the team’s uh know performance and with the fans. It’s it was nice to be back in front of the fans and just uh a lot of that stuff just, you know, happens within the game and and uh things you can’t control and and uh but I knew right away that uh we were going to be in some trouble after that. I can’t take it. Timmy, it it was definitely a positive sign that wasn’t broken because that’s a I mean, you never think about oh like, oh, a ligament or something like that. you always think about, you know, my thumb is killing me, so I must have broke my thumb. So, um, but then when the X-ray came back negative, that was, you know, a positive sign and and then came back and played and, you know, every time I touched the puck or try to squeeze in my hand, it’s, you know, my finger would, you know, pop and kill and stuff like that. So, I knew something was up. I I just thought it would be, you know, partially torn and just maybe grind it out for a couple weeks. What? What? I didn’t. You shot me from behind, [Applause] two [Applause] shoot. [Applause] What? I don’t have a puck. [Applause] My And when the M MRI results came back and got the news, it was uh very emotional. You know, a couple, you know, first time ever going through it. So, it was, you know, emotional and tough to to do, but uh then just kind of came up with the plan right away and just wanted to, you know, get it done and start the recovery time so I could get back as quick as possible. He’s going to be out for a significant amount of time. Um, know a little more in the next 24 hours. You talk about a guy who is the like the identity of a team. The heartbeat. The heartbeat. He kind of like what Char was to Boston forever, right? That’s what Brady is in Ottawa. Yeah. In the room, on the bench, on the road, on the ice. It’s all of it. Haz. And it’s massive. Massive. And he, you know, he’s a unique player where he does stuff that, you know, only a handful of guys that can do in the league that can score, play, and also be there to stick up for his teammates. Now the captain gone 6 to 8 weeks after surgery on his thumb. So what’s the plan going forward, Drake? Do they have to go out and get somebody right away? Well, you can’t replace Brady Kachchuck. I mean, that’s pretty obvious. So the fix has to be internal and that’s the hope of hockey operations in Ottawa. All I want to do is be out there. Um, you know, you trained so hard, tra trained so long in the summer that, uh, you know, felt the best I’ve ever felt coming to this year and just a little bump in the road, but uh, know now take this time to, you know, not sulk in it, but uh, um, know when I come back that I don’t want to just, you know, be status quo. I feel like there’s going to be a level to my game that, uh, I know I’ll be able to get to with these next couple weeks. How’s your recovery been so far and how have you been passing your your downtime away from the ice? It’s been uh it’s been a long couple days, but uh you know, it’s it’s everything’s going in the right direction. It’s you know, today was first day of able to start to do stuff and uh I feel like that’s going to keep me sane. But uh um yeah, I mean, whenever you guys playing, you’re not playing. It’s all you want to do is, you know, be out there and go to battle them, help them out. And uh um so that’s that’s probably been the toughest part is is not being able to, you know, be around in those in those moments. and and uh um but I feel like can help from afar and and know just try to stay around and you know throw some know things that I see from watching and and uh um but no I think it’s going to be tough but the guys have been so great and and uh um you know we’ve always been you know talking about the game and talk about different stuff like that. So um hasn’t much of a change just want to be out there helping them out. So the downside is he had no choice, right? So he all he had was me for this time to to skate. So right after the first skate, I know he felt a difference. So from that point on, he just wanted to learn. He was there. He was so he wanted to learn and it end up he wanted to change his game a little bit. So, I think we kind of both I felt like I said it was an early Christmas present cuz I was getting to do what I’ve wanted to do for a while. He went into this, yes, he had no choice, but he did absorb everything that he could out of the sessions, which is great. The body and dry control. This is my first time going through it and uh daytoday feel useless but uh no I mean it happens and and just trying to make do for um you know the situation and and uh I’m very blessed to have so many great people in my life to know keep me sane and keep me uh um in a good headsp space and and uh cuz there’s been times where just losing my mind and wish you know be out there and help the team and help help the boys and uh um but it’s just a part of And now it’s just um rounding out the game uh in the meantime. So when we come back it’s it’s not just miss a beat but you know take the game to a whole another level. Such a big difference. Really good big day with us. Yes we will be in a few weeks. Oh my god. That’s a good way of looking at it. You’re going to be like watch out Conor. Let’s go. He does. But he doesn’t. He does. See the wolf. [Music] right hand. I always look at a player and if I can change one little part of their game. So for Brady being such a big guy, I really wanted him to know that he could use his size not only in the hockey part, the skill part of his game, but in the skating. So taking up more ice for his size, uh tightening up his gaps for say tight turns and accelerating his outside edge. Those were the priority for him going in. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. We’ll be flying. Oh, yeah. I love it. That was awesome. Oh, that was awesome. You’re going to rock it, right? I’m You know what? Maybe cuz I’m Canadian, but I want to see I want to see the MRIs and the X-rays. I’m not sure. I think I feel like he’s kind of saving himself. Yeah. Staying fresh. Stay fresh. Thank you, Shel. You’re welcome. That’s good. Fun. Good to be back. Built different. Ready for you to untie those? Uh, yeah, probably tough. Yeah, strong legs. So, actually, I got I can do this. Thank you. See you tomorrow. See you tomorrow. See you tomorrow. Didn’t touch one. Didn’t even have an extension. Hell yeah. MC are going to be impeccable. Coxy side skates. It takes forever to get ready. But it’s it’s all we’re all about. We’re family here. It’s all about family. Family take care of each other. Romer. Hey, baby. Must be hard doing laundry at one. Don’t do a single thing. Emma’s been trooper. October 22nd, day one skating. her birthday. He actually the first skate did bring a stick on. All I had to say was how much Jake could improve in this situation years ago when he had 7 months almost off and how feeling your core really actually feeling how to skate without the stick can make you a better player. He never showed up on the ice again without like with his stick. um he understood how to feel the technique a little bit. So then when he does bring the stick in and applies it to the game, he will feel amazing, which I think he does at this point, he’s going to go in to the game feeling very positive and feeling like he’s brought his game to a higher level than what was before. I mean, uh, you don’t see it a lot, I don’t think, with guys who who are injured for a long period of time coming the rope, but, uh, it just goes to show how much he he wants to be around the guys and, uh, we love having him around. So, uh, I think it’s great and it’s better than staying at home and being all by yourself. For sure, guys. I mean, the I think the best impact is is on himself, still being around the team. I think that’s the um the worst part about being injured is you’re on your own and kind of always on a different schedule and a part of the meetings and whatnot. So, uh for him to be here, I think uh and having dinner last night with them and um him being out there even though he’s on the bench out there for the skate, you still feel like you’re you’re in it. I mean, it’s great. It’s great. You want every guy to be a part of it and uh um it’s just fun to see him see him around the group. [Applause] [Music] Hey, watch You ready? [Music] [Applause] [Applause] fast. Hey, week or two, it’s going to be a ton of working out. Um, you know, a ton of, you know, skating by myself and and uh um just kind of just hammer out the the little kinks now and and then uh hopefully after two weeks I’m skating and just following the boys around and just uh still no puck touches at that point, but just uh I better be in the most uh best condition I’ve ever been. With Brady, it’s it’s really unique. He’s he’s been a a really durable athlete for us for for most of the years that he’s been here, for all of them really. Um so this particular injury was his first time being, you know, under the knife. Um and and just being, you know, strictly out for a set number of of weeks. Um, so it was really unique for him to to have to, you know, learn how to, you know, take a day by day, reverse engineer it, work backwards from, you know, target dates. Um, you know, but he was he was great. He he he knew that the first couple weeks were going to be a push in the gym and, you know, he was willing and able. Um, because the injury, it’s a it’s a thumb. It’s it’s a tendon in the thumb and it it limited from gripping, but it really opened up all the other doors of of being able to skate um train lower body, pelvis, lumbar, core, as well as um you know, using wrist attachments for upper body work and uh BFR some of the tools we used up top. It’s a big body and and to ensure that he has enough stability and um and strength to to perform the way he wants to over the next you know 100 games uh you know with Olympics and and other things. So um it was it was a great opportunity. We have an old school Atlantis um uh leg press machine and it’s uh we were able to kind of get him underneath the leg press machine and again it’s it’s a nice tool cuz there’s no there’s no hand requirements you know belt squatting with our Kbox and you know a lot of different tools we can be really creative with how we loaded him. Um, and it was a great opportunity in the gym, uh, from a conditioning standpoint as well, maintaining and improving his aerobic capacity. Um, and then, and then on the ice, you know, I think we used every tool in the toolbox, you know, was Shelly, um, our skate coach, to help with his efficiency and to continue to work in that area. Um, and then obviously once once he was able to and even when he wasn’t able to, you guys saw in Philly, uh, being able to go out with Ben, um, you know, and structure his his on ice development, um, and program, you know, with pucks and without pucks, uh, you know, to make sure, you know, his commitment to being prepared to play when when the thumb is healed is is, uh, executed. So he was yeah, we definitely were able to find some areas and and he was able to get really invested in some of those areas and he was excited about it. Um, you know, to improve. [Music] It’s doing your own homework and making sure, you know, we’re we’re showing Brady that we’re prepared for for him uh in the gym, on the ice, in the treatment room. Um, you know, that allows him to have some again some peace of mind, you know, that we’re that we have everything kind of taken care of and and organized. Um, and that that gives him uh the confidence that, you know, we’re we’re moving along in the right trajectory and the right path. Um, you know, again, setting up the right atmosphere for him is also key, uh, you know, with from the DJ perspective and and making sure it’s an environment that, you know, creates energy instead of sucks out energy from them. And, um, I think those little things in in our space, in the treatment room, um, the banter and and in the gym, uh, those are those are some key things that you want to make sure you’re you have dialed in as well. Right. That’s That’s the money shot right there. He was sitting out here. Donnie, I’m going on the ice. All right. So, obviously, I didn’t get to everything that I wanted to get to in the six weeks. So, there are openings for more to even excel. I think it will be how he feels in the game now, which I think he should feel really good. The one area everyone should notice right away is his gapping and his tight turns. So that lateral movement shifting quicker, his foot speed should be stronger now. Um I didn’t get to pivot, so I’d like to get to that and say stride a little bit more for him. But overall, keeping it positive going into his first game, I just want to see him come out with the confidence he had practicing before. Just get the legs just more. Get the legs going here. More just get going like little percentage. [Applause] [Applause] a little little sore. A little Yeah. Don’t feel No, no, no. Like body body soreness sness, but find a way. Good tight. You like it? I love it. Try getting the head around. Hey, that was a good tight turn right there. Left it first. [Applause] Ah, it’s a tough one. [Applause] Yesterday was so much more fun. Through the roof. Only thing that’s going to hold me back is the battling. Just be cognizant there. Yeah, probably just be safe. [Applause] Happy I touched you. Instead of focusing so late like when we get closer to can you just like keep an eye out when we start like building like practices up to like make sure like every time I touch it like three hard three hard strides cuz like that’s a big thing like especially like reloads and like that. I was just want to like start to become non like like just so instinctual. Yeah. [Applause] [Applause] Every third rep, like on the third rep, instead of just stopping there, touch the end boards and go where the blue end like but Like after that third like that third shot I want you more through every time. I’ll just let you know if it’s too much. You know what? I’ll I’ll get into here. That’s how you get the That’s how you get the elbow going. [Applause] Hello. [Music] Let me know when you’re ready. I’m going to give you a fist bump, but I don’t want to miss on camera. [Music] Now, it’s of course being injured sucks. It’s there’s no other way around it, but uh you know tried making the most of it. It was you know it was meant to happen. So um you know allowed me to know get better and and uh an uncontrollable situation where you know have no impact on the game and and helping out as best I can uh you know as a friend as as a teammate as a captain just being there and uh being a you know sound system for anybody that needs it. Tonight Ottawa has the return of their captain Brady Kachchuck. Friends and family in the audience as well tonight. A big game for this group. Absolutely. The return of the captain and I mentioned it in the opening, chomping at the bit to get back in. I I feel extremely lucky and blessed that uh you know we have the best group of medical doctors, equipment staff, just staff in general. we have the best in the business and and uh just over the years it’s not just you know working you know together in the same team you know consider them family and and uh um know I know they know that I that I love them and and I know that they you know love me and have the best interest for me um every single time and and uh no it’s just always open communication with you know things like that and figuring out if you’re getting surgery or not and just um very very blessed to have you know everybody on the same team and and uh you know all going in the same direction and and and all supporting you know my decisions with with you know um no plan of action. Well, um they’re the staff is the most crucial part to know have a successful and a well-run team and and uh I feel very blessed that I have the best in the business. [Music]

Suffering a broken thumb during the Sens first home game of the season was not how Brady Tkachuk envisioned the start of his season going. His road to recovery was fuelled by grit and heart to make sure he was back out with his teammates battling for this city as soon as he possibly could be. Go behind the scenes of his road to recovery in the latest Breakaway presented by Bell.