Brady Tkachuk’s departure from the Ottawa Senators remains one of the NHL offseason’s biggest talking points. While the blockbuster trade to the Florida Panthers gave the former captain a fresh start alongside his brother Matthew Tkachuk, many in Ottawa still haven’t moved on from the way his tenure came to an end.
Brady Tkachuk’s Ottawa Exit Under Fire
Tkachuk finished the 2025-26 regular season with 59 points in 60 games, but many observers felt his attitude changed as the season wore on.
That criticism only intensified during Ottawa’s first-round playoff sweep against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tkachuk failed to register a point in the four-game series, and his opening-game fight with Jordan Staal drew more attention than his offensive production. His body language throughout the series also became a topic of discussion, as some fans held the opinion that he looked disconnected from the team.
The conversation resurfaced when NHL analyst Shayna Goldman discussed how Tkachuk handled the scrutiny surrounding his future in Ottawa.
“It’s like, here’s the consequences of your actions and you have to learn to deal with it. If you are an NHL player, you are a front-facing figure. You have officially opened yourself up to a ton of questions, right? And I think that there is a line we can draw with some things privacy-wise, but this wasn’t that,” Goldman said.
She added that professional athletes have access to public relations staff and advisors to help navigate uncomfortable situations.
“You are a part of the leadership group in Ottawa, you’re leading it. This is what happens with it. So in a sense, grow up, sorry, it sucks getting questions. And if you weren’t prepared for them, there’s an entire PR team with the Senators to help you.
“You’re part of this league, you are given a huge role within your team, like step up to the plate. So all of that, I think it definitely adds a little bit more sourness to it,” Goldman added.
Although Tkachuk never publicly requested a trade, reports suggest he informed management that he did not intend to sign another contract in Ottawa. The eventual trade caught several teammates, including Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux, by surprise, with Pinto later saying Tkachuk simply wanted to “go down a different path.”
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Tkachuk ultimately got the move he wanted, and now begins the next chapter of his career in Florida. But the manner of his departure continues to divide opinion, and when he returns to Ottawa on October 21, he’s likely to receive a much colder reception than the one reserved for franchise icons.
