Brady Tkachuk doesn’t know how he’ll be received in Ottawa

First of all, everyone's trying to figure out who will be the next captain. Brad Marchand even laughed at the possibility of Tim Stützle being chosen.

For his part, Thomas Chabot chose his words carefully when expressing his thoughts on Tkachuk's departure. He said he wants the players to want to be in Ottawa, especially given everything that's been built up over the past few years.

And what does the man himself think? He's wondering what kind of reception he'll get in Ottawa.

Brady Tkachuk's departure is a boon for the Panthers, but hardly a death knell for the Senators.

My story from Vegas, featuring comments from Tkachuk, Sasha Barkov, and Jake Sanderson: https://t.co/cTCFgRhoCy

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) September 8, 2026

In an interview, he mentioned that he had no idea how his return would go, but that it would demonstrate the passion of the fan base. According to him, if he's booed, it will be proof of that passion, but if he's applauded, he'll be grateful for his time in Ottawa.

I can't believe he's hoping for a warm welcome. He's the one who decided to leave and forced this trade to happen. He left behind teammates who are finally looking forward to moving on from a rebuild.

On the other hand, in Florida, Tkachuk will form quite a duo with his brother. They were excellent with Team USA and are sure to make a splash starting this season.

But as soon as he sets foot in Ottawa again, he'll get a pretty rough reception from the fans.

I think it's a shame to see the exodus of American players to teams in the United States. No-trade clauses undermine the loyalty athletes should have toward the team that drafted them.