The trade deadline buzz in Ottawa has reached a fever pitch as rumors swirl around the future of some Ottawa Senators players. The latest speculation has taken an unexpected turn, with the team’s captain, Brady Tkachuk, finding himself at the center of trade talks. However, Senators President and General Manager Steve Staios has vehemently refuted these rumors, setting the record straight in a recent podcast appearance.
In an interview on the Got Yer Back podcast with TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun and Ryan Rishaug, Staios categorically denied any consideration of trading Tkachuk. Addressing a social media rumor, Staios stated, “That could not be further from the truth. There’s obviously no truth to that. We’re building this team around Brady Tkachuk and the type of person, player, and leader that he is.”
The speculation gained momentum when former NHL defenseman Ryan Whitney, co-host of the Spittin Chiclets podcast, suggested on social media that the Senators might be considering moving Tkachuk. He didn’t necessarily believe the reports, but he seemed to have it on good authority that there was chatter. Adding to the intrigue, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports raised the possibility that Whitney’s information might have come from Tkachuk’s own father, Keith Tkachuk . Links to the St. Louis Blues were made, even though there was nothing concrete.
However, Staios dismissed such notions, emphasizing Tkachuk’s pivotal role in the organization and the team’s commitment to building around him.
Trade Rumors False: The Senators Not Moving the Face of Their Franchise
Despite Tkachuk’s earlier optimism about the Senators’ playoff chances, the team currently languishes in last place in the Atlantic Division, 16 points away from the last Wild Card playoff spot. Tkachuk’s impressive individual performance, with 26 goals and 50 points in 56 games, has not been enough to lift the Senators in the standings.
Still, the Senators are not giving up on their team or Tkahuck. This is a player that wants to be part of the solution and the organization feels they aren’t far from competing.
Significant decisions loom large for Ottawa as the March 8 trade deadline approaches. Moving Tkachuk is not one of them.
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