Being a captain of an NHL hockey team means more than just someone simply wearing the "C." Slowly, the chosen teammate becomes the face of the franchise and, in many cases, the heartbeat of the team. Fans fill packed arenas with their jerseys and believe that they have the qualities needed to lead their franchise to a Stanley Cup. When that same player leaves the franchise, it becomes time to let go of the future that the fanbase imagined with them at the helm. For Ottawa Senators fans processing Brady Tkachuk’s departure, it is similar to when New York Islanders fans watched captain John Tavares leave for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018. Their circumstances differ, but the same question remains: why would a player that the organization and fanbase rallied behind choose a future somewhere else?
Despite both Tkachuk and Tavares departing as captains, one of the biggest differences is how they departed. Tavares signed with the Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent. In July 2018, he signed a 7-year, $77 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Mississauga native stated how it was his childhood dream to play for his hometown team. Nobody can forget his pyjama photo with proof of him growing up a fan of the blue and white. His walk into free agency left the Islanders organization without any return for their former captain.
Ruthless Islanders fans chant “It’s your bedtime” and “Where’s your jammies?” during the third period of Tavares' return to Long Island pic.twitter.com/GWqYdf66Il
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) March 1, 2019
Replenishing the prospect cupboard
This was not the case for Ottawa. To avoid any potential distractions heading into the 2026-2027 season, general manager Steve Staios worked in the off-season and shipped the captain to Florida. Like Tavares’ opportunity to live out his childhood dream, Tkachuk also was able to live out his dream by playing with his older brother, Matthew for the first time. This blockbuster trade yielded three first-round picks and a second-round pick and filled some much-needed space in the Senators' prospect cupboard. Staios flipped the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft to the San Jose Sharks for some immediate roster support and acquired winger William Eklund. In the Senators case, the fact that they got something in return is a massive win when comparing both situations.
Despite this difference between their departures, both players had a considerable amount of control over where they ended up. Obviously, Tavares walked through unrestricted free agency and had a lot of autonomy over the decision; Brady’s move was the same but also different. Takchuk's leverage came through his no-movement clause, which allowed him to restrict the destinations Ottawa could explore. The Senators still had to negotiate a return and wouldn’t trade away their fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft for peanuts, but this also gave Tkachuk a level of autonomy over his eventual trade to Florida. Ultimately, Tavares and Tkachuk held most of the cards.
Yes, Ottawa got something back in return for Tkachuk, but that doesn’t make his exit an easier pill to swallow. The Senators paving a path forward and acquiring valuable assets is mutually exclusive to Tkachuk’s decision. Having said that, fans can appreciate Ottawa’s stealth trade while also being very disappointed in their former captain.
Matthew & Brady discuss the emotions of his first return to Ottawa since being dealt to Florida 🐆👀 @HardRockBet pic.twitter.com/THszLMgyiM
— Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk (@Wingmenpod) October 20, 2026
Tkachuk’s return to Ottawa tomorrow night will surely be similar to when Tavares returned to Long Island. It goes without saying that the Canadian Tire Centre will be a hostile environment filled with loud boos, creative chants, duct-taped jerseys, and an occasional jersey toss. Both captains turned their backs on their franchises and their fans, and now, Tkachuk will have to face the music.
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