Brady Tkachuk bid a fond farewell to the fans of the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, expressing gratitude after being traded to the Florida Panthers on Sunday. The former Senators captain was dealt for three first-round draft picks and a second-round selection in 2027.
Tkachuk Thanks Ottawa Fans
“I just want to say thank you to everyone in the city,” Tkachuk said. “Everybody welcomed me from Day 1, treated me like I was from there. Treated me like family. I’ll just never forget that.”
Tkachuk started The Wingmen Podcast with his brother and new teammate Matthew by thanking the people of Ottawa for their support. “I have so many great memories in Ottawa. It’s such a special place to me,” Brady said. “I’m excited for this new chapter. It’s been a whirlwind.”
Why the Trade Happened
Tkachuk, who is staying with Matthew’s family while house hunting in Fort Lauderdale, was introduced at a press conference in South Florida on Tuesday morning. Later, the duo appeared on the Pat McAfee Show. He said that it was “time” to move on, explaining, “There is definitely a lot of different things that have happened throughout my time there and, for me, I think it was just time for the next chapter, and it wasn’t an easy decision.”
“It was a very hard decision and there are a lot more things that go into it, but for me, very thankful for what they’ve done for me, and not just as a player, but moulded me into the human that I am today,” Tkachuk added.
Choosing the Panthers
Tkachuk made it clear he chose the Panthers because he wants to win a Stanley Cup and feels the organization is focused on that goal every year. “I can’t believe it’s real,” Tkachuk said. “The sole focus here is about excellence and they’ve shown over the last few years that the goal is the Stanley Cup.”
While Steve Staios, the Senators’ president of hockey operations and general manager, told reporters on Monday that he felt Tkachuk only wanted to play with Matthew, Brady claimed during the podcast that he took his brother out of the equation and went to Florida because it’s the best chance to win.
“I’ve always said this, if we weren’t even brothers, Florida has always been the toughest game,” Tkachuk told Matthew. “These last bunch of years playing against just the way you guys play, and then the winning background shows it’s all about winning.”
