Senators Take Shot at Brady Tkachuk While Making a Vow To Passionate Fans

Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios addressed thousands of fans this week and discussed the franchise’s plans following a summer that has understandably left many concerned. After the loss of Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers and the return in trade being nothing but futures, questions about how the team will compete and get back to the playoffs are real.

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Staios’ response was simple: “I wasn’t done after the Brady deal, and I’m certainly not done now,” he said. “We’re determined to bring a championship here to Ottawa.”

The GM is aware that there’s work to do. On the ice, and without Tkachuk, the team is worse. There’s no denying it, even though Staios picked up a solid piece in William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks. The team isn’t done looking and talking to other GMs, hoping that they pick up both a solid piece for the roster, but a player who brings what Tkachuk didn’t.

On the way out, Tkachuk was blasted pretty hard by fans and the media for abandoning the franchise. After months of saying he didn’t want to go and that everyone was making up a frustrating narrative that he was leaving, he ultimately did. He gave up on a roster that he had essentially alienated himself from as he worked on his own brand. Staios wasn’t afraid to suggest that building a better culture in Ottawa would be “less challenging now”. He also used that phrase to suggest that attracting players to the city is not as difficult as it once was. He called Ottawa one of the most underrated hockey markets in the league.

“If you have character and you want to compete. you want to be here in Ottawa. You want to be a Senator.”

No doubt, it was a bit of a shot at Tkachuk.

Where Are Things At With Drake Batherson?

Part of what Staios wants to do is get Drake Batherson signed. “There’s no secret that we want to get Drake Batherson signed,” Staios said. “That conversation is ongoing with Drake, and it takes two sides to come to a deal. But there’s been good dialogue as we move forward.

“He’s a homegrown talent. It’s a great story. He continues to get better and we feel like we have a very great, strong, contending team with a chance to win. We want him to be a part of it.”

If and when that deal gets done, don’t expect Batherson to be the Sens’ only move.

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