To say that there’s been a lot of noise around the Ottawa Senators over the last seven days would be somewhat of an understatement. It all started when goalie Linus Ullmark chose to make himself unavailable for a crunch game against a short-handed Tampa Bay Lightning team.
And if that wasn’t enough, Brady Tkachuk’s father, Keith, made some pointed statements on the latest episode of the Tkachuk brothers’ ‘Wingmen’ podcast. Those comments did not go down well with Senators fans, and ahead of the game against the Buffalo Sabres, head coach Travis Green was asked for his thoughts on a storyline that’s spread like wildfire.
Senators HC Addresses Brady Tkachuk’s Father’s Criticism
On the April 1 episode of the Wingmen podcast, Keith Tkachuk ripped the Senators after their meek 4-2 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tkachuk also raised a question about his son, Brady’s, ice time, while Matthew Tkachuk also chimed in, asking why Brady had more ice time in the Winter Olympics than in the regular season for Ottawa.
Sure enough, that little clip snowballed into a whole controversy, with Senators fans pissed at the timing of it all, especially given the fact that Ottawa’s currently fighting for a wild-card spot for the playoffs.
In a media session with reporters ahead of the game against Buffalo, Green addressed the issue, saying, “I haven’t seen it, I heard about it. I know Walt really well. He’s a friend. I’ve played with him and known him a long time. I know he’s outspoken. I’m not sure exactly what he said, but again, it’s white noise. Not any concern of mine or of my team.”
When pressed on Brady Tkachuk’s ice time since the Winter Olympics, Green said, “I think Brady’s playing 18 minutes a night if I’m not mistaken. He’s probably in our top 3-4 in ice time. He’s a big man. I think Brady’s minutes are perfect, to tell you the truth.”
There’s already been a lot of speculation around Tkachuk’s future with the Ottawa Senators. While the Senators don’t have to panic about his contract just yet (they can do that next year), if this season fails to pay off, questions will be asked about Tkachuk’s leadership.
There’s a non-zero chance that Tkachuk could himself choose to ask for an exit if this season spirals into chaos. If that happens, Ottawa could very well cash in, with the NHL world already speculating about what a trade return might look like. Could St. Louis Blues star Robert Thomas be worth a look?
