4 Years: Brady Tkachuk’s Secret Wasn’t Being Hidden From Senators

The Brady Tkachuk era in Ottawa didn’t end this past week — it may have effectively ended years ago.

According to Ottawa Sun reporter Bruce Garrioch, Tkachuk had been privately telling teammates inside the Senators dressing room for years that he was leaving the organization. “For the last four years, he’s told his teammates in that dressing room that he had no intention of re-signing,” Garrioch reported on Sens 1-on-1.

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No Wonder the Senators Players Wanted Brady Gone

The bombshell news explains why reports from scribes like Renaud Lavoie claimed that his teammates weren’t sad to see him go and there was no push to keep him when the Senators started making calls about a possible trade. They knew he wanted out, and the rest of the team had come to accept that their captain wasn’t much of a leader. To them, he wasn’t thinking about the team’s future, only of his own, and he’d been thinking about it for quite some time.

While the Senators and their fanbase held out hope that their captain might change his mind or realize that he was in a good spot with a team that was starting to turn the corner, it appears the writing had been on the wall. The draw to play with his brother, who had left the Calgary Flames and found real happiness with the Panthers, was too strong. Matthew was elated to be in Florida and the Panthers were competing, winning two Stanley Cup Championships.

The Senators Were Forced Into a Move

All the while, the noise surrounding Tkachuk had become a distraction — particularly in the wake of the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Winter Olympics. The situation ultimately had to be addressed. General manager Steve Staios and Tkachuk and during a sit-down meeting, the truth all came out.

Once Ottawa began exploring the trade market, but everyone knew that the Panthers were the only destination Tkachuk’s camp would accept.

“It was clear to the Sens that Brady Tkachuk didn’t want to be here,” Garrioch said. “Felt that this was going to happen sooner rather than later. He had no intention of signing here.” What made it worse was that Tkachuk had essentially handcuffed the Senators. Everyone knew for years, despite his public comments to the contrary, that he wasn’t staying. He wanted Florida, and the Panthers wanted him. Ultimately, it was going to happen, one way or another.

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canucks, Maple Leafs & Oilers Stuck