Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators, renowned for his skill and aggressive playstyle, faced criticism following a controversial incident during a game against the Buffalo Sabres on January 9. Tkachuk delivered a dangerous hit to Jason Zucker, who was unsuspecting and turned away. Despite the severity of the hit, Tkachuk received only a two-minute minor penalty for charging.

The incident resulted in Zucker being helped off the ice, but fortunately, he returned to play later. Tkachuk’s actions sparked a confrontation with Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert, who sought to challenge him to a fight, yet Tkachuk declined.