Senators captain Brady Tkachuk describes season as 'most difficult I've had'

OTTAWA — There are surely some fans in Ottawa who are fed up with hearing Senators players say they are fed up with losing. 

But when you listened to captain Brady Tkachuk at the microphone Thursday morning, it provided a rethink to those jaded observers who figured this team was well past the acceptance phase of the Five Stages of Grief and had moved onto summer mode. 

Tkachuk, as usual, had his heart on his sleeve when he said that the season of 2023-24 took a piece out of him, personally. 

“Honestly, this is probably the most difficult year I’ve had, to date, mentally,” Tkachuk said, speaking to reporters after meeting general manager Steve Staios for his exit meeting.

“We’re playing a sport for a living but there’s so much pride in our team that for things not to go well was tough for me mentally. There were some days that weren’t fun. Usually, every day in years past, it’s been fun to come to the rink, but there were moments this year when it was difficult to come in when things weren’t going so well.”

In recent weeks, Tkachuk was struck by how quickly this season was passing, and how saddened he was at the prospect of another six months off before the next season begins again, with renewed hope of ending Ottawa’s seven-year playoff drought. Tkachuk has been here for six of them. 

“I just finished Year 6 and haven’t done a thing,” Tkachuk said. “I haven’t played in those meaningful playoff games that I have imagined and the rest of the group has imagined playing in. 

 “I’m sick and tired of losing. I don’t want to be going home in April anymore. It’s frustrating. I’m disappointed. At the end of the day, just disappointed.”

Last season, Ottawa got within six points of a playoff spot. This year they are 13 points behind 8th place Washington for the final wild-card position. As Tkachuk noted, a team that was supposed to take steps forward, “took a couple of steps back,” in his words. 

At times, they played extremely well. But for long stretches, they lost their way. 

“We feel like we can be a playoff team,” said veteran winger Claude Giroux. “We showed we can play with anybody when we’re playing well. But we’ve just got to do it every night.”

There were days when Tkachuk brought his anguish home from the rink, he admits. Yet, he is luckier than most. As a 24-year-old who grew up around the game, at the knees of his father, Keith, the longtime NHL forward, and alongside brother Matthew on the rather more successful Florida Panthers, Brady has a support network that is better than most. 

He has a supportive wife and a family that has seen a few things in the game. 

He’s also hardly the only player annoyed by this turn of events. 

Young defence star Jake Sanderson put this disastrous season in blunt perspective:

“We’re going to do everything in our power, that we’re not packing up our games at this time of the year ever again,” Sanderson said. “I know our guys are frustrated and pissed off with how this year went, but we need to have a big summer here, working hard to get ready for next year.”

At least these American lads, Tkachuk, Sanderson and Shane Pinto, can take out their frustrations on the rest of the world when they head to Czechia for the IIHF World Championship. All three players said Thursday they would be playing for Team USA at the Worlds. 

Back to the subject of his NHL team, Tkachuk admits there needs to be change. Not just in personnel with the addition of some more veterans, but a change in attitude. 

“I think there needs to be more of an accountability sense amongst each other and ourselves,” Tkachuk said. “We can’t just keep doing the same things. It clearly hasn’t worked. 

“We need to adapt. We need to make changes to our mindset, attitude, to the way we play … we have a lot of skill on offence but we need to find a way to play that simple, meaningful hockey on a day-to-day basis. I guess you could say, playoff-style hockey from Day 1, 'til when it happens (actual playoffs).” 

In the past, Tkachuk admitted he was involved with team management as they discussed a way forward. But this year will be different. After the Worlds, Tkachuk wants to get away for a bit and have some time to himself. 

“I have been almost too involved in things, whereas this year I want to take a step back, regroup. Reflect,” Tkachuk said. “And let the people in charge make those decisions. For me, all I can control is making sure I’m ready to have my best year next year.”

Interestingly, Tkachuk hinted at hearing some frank assessment from the GM during the exit meeting. Not something that many players heard in the past when it was more of a country club around here. 

“Criticism isn’t the right word, but there’s a lot of things for me to think about and there’s areas of my game I need to improve,” Tkachuk said. 

It would help if the young captain received more veteran support, an area Staios is expected to target this summer. 

To fans, Tkachuk repeated his message of thanks for their continued support. This group of players, even as it evolves, wants to represent the community well. 

For the first time, Tkachuk, the team’s nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership, spoke about how difficult it was to let people down, people who look up to him and the other team leaders. 

“The pressure was more internal,” Tkachuk said. “But definitely there was external pressure at some point. To disappoint people that spend money to support you and whether it’s at the games or at home watching, it’s tough, and it’s the first year I truly felt that — that we disappointed a lot of people that stuck with us through thick and thin. Some nights when our effort wasn’t there, I felt that disappointment. Because we’re not just playing for ourselves. Our goal is to bring playoff hockey here, bring that back. It’s been a while since the city’s enjoyed that experience.

“So, I’m really sorry about not living up to those expectations,” Tkachuk said. “But thanks for sticking with us and not turning your back. And I know there’s going to be good things coming down the road.”

One more big change coming up for No. 7. A new role that has nothing to do with ice time or pushing past his career-high of 37 goals set this season. 

Fatherhood means another opportunity to grow as a person and a player. 

Brady and wife Emma are expecting their first child in the fall. 

“Next year it’s got to be a different story,” Tkachuk said. “I can’t be bringing the drama home because I’m going to be a dad.”