Brady Tkachuk will face his former Senators team for the first time as a member of the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, after requesting a trade out of Ottawa last spring. The former captain is unlikely to receive a warm welcome, but Tkachuk says he goes into the night at peace with how his departure from Ottawa played out.
"I know for me, I was able to look myself in the mirror up until that final game [in Ottawa], knowing that I put so much blood, sweat, and tears into this team and into this organization," Tkachuk said after the Panthers' morning skate. He said stories in the media questioning his commitment were untrue, and he called the period leading up to the trade the hardest part of the process. "I'm excited for this next chapter."
Tkachuk arrived early at Canadian Tire Centre to catch up with Senators staff and dined with former teammates on Tuesday, with whom he has stayed close after eight years in Canada's capital. The Senators' fan base could react less positively. In April, following Ottawa's first-round playoff sweep by Carolina, Tkachuk publicly defended his loyalty to the team, even as he had privately asked general manager Steve Staios for a trade. He was willing to waive a full no-movement clause on his seven-year, $57.5 million contract to join his brother Matthew and the Panthers.
Staios traded Tkachuk in June for three first-round picks (two in 2026 and a conditional pick in 2029) plus a 2027 second-round selection. Tkachuk left Ottawa with 463 points in 572 games, the fifth-most in franchise history, and 213 goals, the fourth-most. He has said his reasons for the request were personal and professional and declined to elaborate, and he said negative fan reactions will not be taken personally.
Tkachuk also said any of his old No. 7 sweaters thrown onto the ice Wednesday will be donated to Ottawa's local Boys & Girls Club. He has been strong since a slow start with Florida, recording consecutive natural hat tricks that gave him six goals and 10 points through nine games as the Panthers prepare for an important Atlantic Division matchup.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing