With speculation surrounding a Brady Tkachuk trade request from multiple sources, they have all been shut down by Steve Staios, and now Tkachuk himself says that there is he is committed to bringing a Stanley Cup to Ottawa.
In the latest episode of the Locked On Senators Podcast, Ross Levitan and Brandon Piller were joined by the Senators’ captain who talked about his offseason, his personal and team expectations, and shutting down the rumors of the aforementioned trade request.
Tkachuk Excited About New Additions
Tkachuk talked about the fact that bringing in some players with playoff experience who can help him become a better player was a positive thing this offseason. He started the interview by joking that he needs to work on his defensive game to improve his plus-minus rating but later talked about the additions of David Perron and Michael Amadio, who both have a Stanley Cup win.
“I have a lot of areas I can grow and get better, and with guys like Perron and Amadio I can lean on, and of course with Gregor, Jensen, and Ullmark who have had great careers so far, that brings so many different experiences and thought mentalities to the team,” said Tkachuk.
Being able to have a group of players with such a diverse amount of success and battles they have had to go through makes the team stronger. There isn’t any doubt that Tkachuk is a strong leader and great captain, and being able to identify the importance of bringing in these types of players to help develop a winning culture in the organization is crucial.
Tkachuk talked about how he isn’t too involved in the decision-making process of who to bring in, but he is excited about all of the additions that were made and believes the Senators are a better team today than when they ended the season.
Addressing the Tkachuk Trade Rumors
Levitan asked Tkachuk about how the rumors from multiple different sources stating he was looking for a trade out of Ottawa came about, and what Tkachuk thought about them when he heard.
Tkachuk started by saying that things like that were part of the reason he disengaged from social media.
These rumors are coming out of nowhere. My number one goal is to bring a Stanley Cup back to Ottawa
Brady Tkachuk on Locked On Senators Podcast
Tkachuk was adamant about expressing how important Ottawa is to him. With all of the impacts he has made in the community and how deserving the city is, Tkachuk says that these are the things that fuel the fire of his dream to win the Stanley Cup right where he is.
Related: Senators News & Rumors: Chartier, Pinto & Giroux
Staios was the first to shut down the trade rumors, calling them “complete B.S”, and that this team is being built around Tkachuk and they want to win with him as the captain.
After hearing the passion and dedication to the answers he gave to Levitan and Piller, it is clear that there is no doubt that Tkachuk wants to stay in Ottawa and bring a championship to the capital.
Tkachuk Likes the Coaching Staff
Through multiple conversations with the newly hired head coach, Tkachuk says he appreciates the strong level of communication that Travis Green preaches. Green has been communicating with the players and breaking down their games individually. Tkachuk said that Green reached out to talk about some of the things he has noticed in his game, what he wants Tkachuk to work on over the offseason, and what they will work on during the season.
When asked about having Daniel Alfredsson behind the bench, Tkachuk talks about how lucky the group is to have the presence that Alfredsson brings around. He mentioned that it isn’t even the fact that he is behind the bench, but just around the team in general. Having his experiences, IQ, and personality to help develop the team has been great.
While not a part of the coaching staff, Tkachuk also mentions Claude Giroux’s presence on the team. He talks about how they can talk back and forth in a joking demeanor, but also how his experience in the league has been a huge asset to the team as well as his own development as a leader.
Tkachuk Expresses Great Personality
Having a guest like Tkachuk on a podcast is always special, but when someone can come on and have the personality and character that he displayed, it makes for an excellent listen. With more conversation about his personal life, Ridly Greig, Shane Pinto, and much more.
Hearing from Tkachuk directly, especially about the trade rumors, was important. While anybody would likely say there is nothing to it, the enthusiasm and pride he shows when talking about the Senators makes it hard to believe he is being dishonest with his comments.
