Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green revealed that he was surprised, and even "a little bit mad," upon learning of the team's trade of captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers this NHL offseason. The revelation comes despite Tkachuk's recent insistence on his commitment to the team.
Green, who took the coaching job in Ottawa partly due to the team's young core, including Tkachuk, shared his reaction during an appearance on the "100% Hockey" podcast. He stated that Senators General Manager Steve Staios informed him of the situation about three weeks after the season concluded.
"I was a little surprised; a little, you know, would I say mad? A little bit," Green recalled, acknowledging the unfortunate nature of the situation. He clarified that he could not speak for Tkachuk but expressed his own surprise.
The trade, which occurred weeks after Tkachuk had publicly stated his commitment to the Senators, was a significant offseason development. While acknowledging the team's progress, including a playoff appearance, Green noted that the attention surrounding Tkachuk's status had become a distraction.
The Senators have since made additions, including Andre Burakovsky and William Eklund, to complement their existing roster. The team also retained veteran leadership with Claude Giroux signing a one-year deal to return to Ottawa.