FORT LAUDERDALE — Brady Tkachuk wore a Florida Panthers uniform for the first time at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, describing a franchise driven to rebound after missing the playoffs for the first time in six years.
“You can just feel the energy and excitement,” Tkachuk said, according to NHL.com. “Last year didn’t go the way that they wanted, what they expected, and just the motivation … They’re not even talking about the two Cups. They’re talking about last year and how they want to get back to where they wanted to be. … You can see it, the commitment to get back there. I know everybody’s champing at the bit to get the season going, and we just can’t wait for the next week and a half.”
The Panthers acquired Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators on June 21 in a blockbuster deal that sent three first-round draft picks to Ottawa and united Brady with his brother Matthew on the same NHL roster for the first time, Florida Hockey Now reported. Tkachuk spent eight seasons in Ottawa, the last five as captain, before requesting the trade — a move that made him deeply unpopular with Senators fans following Team USA’s Olympic win over Canada.
“It was a really, really hard decision, and something that was emotional,” Tkachuk said, per the Canadian Press. “It took a lot of time to get to that.”
Tkachuk credited Ottawa owner Michael Andlauer and general manager Steve Staios for keeping the trade request private. He said only a small group knew before the deal was finalized. “It was a small group of people that knew,” Tkachuk said. “But I made some phone calls after. There’s some guys that I spent eight years with … through a lot of tough times. And I think through those tough times, through the adversity, you just get so close that they’re not just teammates — they’re family.”
Tkachuk has been settling into his new home in Fort Lauderdale ahead of Panthers training camp, which opens Sept. 17. He acknowledged his Oct. 21 return to Ottawa will likely draw a hostile reception but framed it as a compliment to the fan base. “Whatever it is, it just shows how great of a fan base it is,” he said. “If it’s negative, it just shows how passionate the fans are, and how I enjoyed playing in front of them and how special it was. If it’s positive, I’m just really grateful for my time there.”
Florida opens its preseason Sept. 20 against the Carolina Hurricanes, with the regular-season opener at Carolina on Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. on ESPN. The Panthers’ home opener is Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. against the Minnesota Wild.