On June 21st, Brady Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers for three first-round picks and a second-round pick. It was a trade that shook the Ottawa Senators' organization with their captain wanting out. They had established themselves as a consistent playoff team on the rise. One of the best defensive teams in the league lost an important top six contributor.
So, how is this affecting the locker room?
Stutzle speaks on Tkachuk's departure for the first time
On Friday, Tim Stutzle was asked about Brady leaving on the NHL European Media Tour:
“It's his decision; there's nothing we can do about it.” Stutzle said about the former captain. For me, he was always a great teammate and, obviously, a great hockey player, and we're going to miss him. He was always there for me. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to move on. We're going to miss him as a hockey player, as a person, and as a leader, but it is what it is.”
This type of statement is what is usually said by a player when their teammate gets traded. However, it is what he said after that caught my attention the most:
“We're focused on what we have ahead of us and the team we have right now. So, wish him all the best. “We're still a really young team, so I think everything is going to move up from here. I think everybody who is there right now loves being in Ottawa, loves playing for the Sens. So, I think that's the biggest key, and that's what we want.”
A comment like this says a lot about the direction that the locker room is pushing for. The Senators do not want to be defined as “the team Brady left." They want to maintain their reputation as a consistent playoff team that is pushing their way to being a contender. They have a young core with more pieces being added in the offseason to try and improve the roster.
It seems that the locker room are in a good position to keep up their ambitions. It is a group of players who want to be in Ottawa and win too. When Brady was hurt last year, Stutzle was the one who stepped up and led the team in his absence. I think the team will not only be okay without him but also continue to grow without Brady on the team.
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