Brady Tkachuk sends clear message to Rangers, NHL about ‘frustrating’ trade rumors
Bob Frid-Imagn Images Lest the New York Rangers or any other NHL team hoped to trade for Brady Tkachuk this offseason, the Ottawa Senators captain put a damper on all rumors, hoping to finally shut down speculation about his future. “I feel like I’ve answered this hundreds of times,” Tkachuk said Wednesday . “I feel like I’ve never shown, never said, none of those things have ever come out of my mouth, and quite honestly it’s just getting frustrating.
It’s becoming a distraction. “I have been fully committed to this team, to this city and (the rumors), it’s just become a distraction. Frustrating to deal with.
” To that end, Senators beat reporter Murray Pam from Hockey Hot Stove explained on the Rink Rap podcast that Tkachuk went the extra mile to show how much the organization, its fan base, and the city of Ottawa means to him simply by showing up for a press conference Wednesday. Just days prior, he missed breakup day to be with his wife, Emma, when she gave birth to their second child back home in New Jersey. Pam and other reporters expected a Zoom call with Tkachuk at some point, only to find out Wednesday morning that he flew back to Ottawa and wanted to meet with the media in person.
That speaks volumes about his commitment to the Senators, which has been questioned often, especially after they were swept in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past week by the Carolina Hurricanes. But that wasn’t all that stood out to Pam. “At the end of the presser, he goes, ‘Well, you didn’t ask about the fans.
’ And he actually made a statement to the fans thanking them for their support and how he loves the Ottawa community, and how they support him and his family,” Pam told Forever Blueshirts . “So, that was from his heart, and that’s the way Brady is. He’s a family-oriented person and he just wanted to get that out there to the fans.
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