Brady Tkachuk Backlash: Owner Not Doing The Senators Any Favors

Michael Andlauer must have felt the need to get his thoughts about Brady Tkachuk off his chest, noting in a recent interview with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that “Blood is thicker than water, and let’s just say that his father and his brother got in his kitchen.” He added, “Ultimately, the decision was made to go and play with his brother. It’s a decision that was out of our control to a certain degree. But you have to want to play for Ottawa. And right to the end, our fans were behind Brady — even after Team USA won gold. I have no doubt in my mind.” 

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On the surface, the comments don’t suggest anything more than a bit of frustration at the way the entire Brady Tkachuk exit out of Ottawa went down. It’s understandable. Tkachuk said he didn’t want to leave, called the stories about him trying to get out a lie, and then suddenly pulled a demand out of thin air and made sure he landed in Florida. That doesn’t feel very above board.

Related: Senators Owner Breaks Silence on Brady Tkachuk Trade

Tkachuk said after the trade, “For me, I think it was just time for the next chapter. It wasn’t an easy decision; it was something that I took a little bit more time than what’s been out there.” To Andlauer, this felt plotted. He believes the Tkachuks all got together and worked their plan, taking advantage of the fans and the organization.

Right or wrong, it’s probably time for the owner to let this go.

The Senators Are Trying to Move On

Former teammate Thomas Chabot said, “If we keep answering those [questions] we will answer about Brady all season long. The only person in position to answer that question would be Brady.” Head coach Travis Green also noted that the team doesn’t talk about Brady. “It’s not a topic at all in our room,” he said.

The Senators have moved on, and it’s probably time the owner did too.

Why? Because the Tkachuks aren’t likely to drop it and they’ll respond.

Brady and Matthew are happy to talk about whatever they want on their Wingmen podcast. Andlauer is just giving them content to chat about. And, because there’s no filter on that show, the Tkachuks will get the last word. Both brothers aren’t shy about taking advantage of that, which doesn’t help the rest of the Senators roster in the slightest.

Perhaps Brady and Matthew don’t address Andlauer’s comments. Maybe they move on and let it go. That’s not really the point. They have the platform to drag this storyline out, and all the Senators want to do is move on.

Next: NHL Trade Talk: The Podcast – Ep. 36: Hellebuyck, Larkin, Plus the Blue Jackets, Oilers & Maple Leafs