On the most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas, the conversation turned to the Ottawa Senators, and the topic of Brady Tkachuk came up. Prior to this podcast, there had already been reports that the noise surrounding Tkachuk and the Olympics was growing and it had become a problem in the locker room.
Brady Tkachuk's podcast with his brother Matthew became a "point of frustration" in the Senators' locker room, per @FriedgeHNIC. pic.twitter.com/dbS9qDoazB
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) July 6, 2026
During the Senators segment, Friedman mentioned that an anonymous Senators player had reached out to tell him that he should have discussed the Wingmen podcast. During the season, Brady and his brother, Matthew Tkachuk, launched a podcast, following in the footsteps of football stars Travis and Jason Kelce. According to the player, the podcast caused problems within the locker room.
It's not hard to see why. Two active NHL players were recording a podcast while playing multiple games each week, with Brady also adjusting to life as a new father. Add to that the fact that they play for different teams, and that their father, Keith Tkachuk a member of St. Louis Blues' staff, appears regularly on the show.
There were multiple occasions on the podcast where Brady didn't exactly endear himself to Senators fans. One subtle example was an in-person recording featuring the three Tkachuks in a room decorated with Florida Panthers memorabilia. From both an optics and public relations standpoint, it did nothing positive for the image of the Senators.
In the middle of a playoff run btw pic.twitter.com/NkxKEAl7I3
— Jack Richardson (@jackrichrdson) June 22, 2026
Another example came when Matthew and Brady discussed how the Toronto Maple Leafs didn't stand up for captain Auston Matthews after he suffered an injury. Less than a week later, Thomas Chabot was injured in a game against the New York Rangers by U.S. Olympic teammate J.T. Miller, while Jake Sanderson and Carter Yakemchuk also suffered injuries during the playoffs. Or when Keith appeared on the podcast and, along with Matthew, taking jabs at the Senators' coaching staff over Brady's ice time. At no point during these conversations did Brady step in to redirect the discussion or shut it down.
Travis Green said he hasn't spoken with Brady Tkachuk or listened to his most recent podcast episode:
— Claire Hanna (@clahanna) April 2, 2026
"No I haven’t. I haven’t seen it, I heard about it. I know Walt (Keith Tkachuk) really well. He’s a friend, played with him, known him a long time. I know he’s outspoken. I’m…
Keith even said he was disappointed in the Senators following a loss. During that same episode, Keith asked Brady how many years remained on his current contract, prompting many fans to accuse him of tampering. Once again, it's important to remember that Keith is an employee of another NHL team.
I didn’t even realize that something like this was said. That’s actually insane that this was even allowed. https://t.co/s6d3zzuPYl
— The Senstennial (@senstennial) June 22, 2026
The final nail in the coffin came when Keith made thinly veiled disparaging comments about Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark. These remarks came shortly after Ullmark had returned from a personal leave related to his mental health. At a time when understanding and compassion around mental health are more important than ever, Brady, the captain of the Ottawa Senators, neither spoke up for his teammate nor challenged the comments.
It's not difficult to understand why the podcast could have become a problem within the locker room. Issues and frustrations that would typically remain private were instead being discussed publicly on a podcast featuring the captain's father. Brady spoke openly about his frustration with rumours becoming a distraction, yet the podcast itself created just as much distraction for the fan base and, apparently, for his teammates.
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