The NHL preseason has begun after what has to be one of the wildest offseasons in recent memory.
One of the biggest parts? Well, that had to be the Ottawa Senators dealing Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers after the Team USA star requested a trade.
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Now, the Senators’ owner, Michel Andlauer, isn’t holding back on why he believes that trade happened. Tkachuk, who was the Senators captain, faced lots of questions after the team’s first-round playoff exit about whether or not he was committed to the organization.
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Brady Tkachuk’s departure from Ottawa didn’t win him any fans in the city he called home for eight seasons. (Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images)
By all accounts, he was, as well as to the local community.
“In his eight years with the Ottawa Senators, and during his time as captain, he was an exemplary captain for us and leader and role model,” Andlauer told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. “He cared about the community. He and his wife, Emma, did more than any other player. The Boys and Girls Club — he cared deeply. And the fans knew it. Our fans are loyal and they’re intelligent. And they loved Brady.”
Brady Tkachuk (7) of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal during the men’s gold medal game between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Vitalii Kliuiev/Getty Images)
However, news broke that Tkachuk had asked for a move, and the Senators got it done by sending him to Florida, where he joined his brother, Matthew.
Andlauer made it clear why he thinks things suddenly changed for Tkachuk.
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Brady Tkachuk speaks at his introductory press conference with the Florida Panthers. (Photo by JC Ruiz/Getty Images)
“Blood is thicker than water, and let’s just say that his father (ex-NHLer and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Keith Tkachuk) and his brother got in his kitchen,” he said. “Ultimately, the decision was made to go and play with his brother. It’s a decision that was out of our control to a certain degree. But you have to want to play for Ottawa. And right to the end, our fans were behind Brady — even after Team USA won gold. I have no doubt in my mind.”
Whoa.
Now, it’s important to note that Brady himself has denied this claim.
But one thing is certain: you’ll want to tune in to see what happens when the Cats go to Ottawa on October 21.
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Things could certainly get interesting.