OTTAWA -- Brady Tkachuk will face his former Senators team for the first time as a member of the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, after requesting a trade out of Ottawa last spring.
And while the club's former captain isn't likely to receive a warm welcome, Tkachuk goes into the night at peace with himself over how his uncoupling with Ottawa played out.
"I know for me, I was able to look myself in the mirror up until that final game [in Ottawa], knowing that I put so much blood, sweat, and tears into this team and into this organization," Tkachuk said after the Panthers' morning skate on Wednesday. "There was stuff out there [in the media] that wasn't true and I guess questioned where my mind had been at for the last little bit [leading up to the trade]. That was probably the hardest part of this process, with how untrue that was, but getting past that ... I'm excited for this next chapter."
Tkachuk does see Wednesday as a chance to truly turn the page. He arrived early to the visitors side of Canadian Tire Centre -- about three hours before Florida's scheduled ice time -- just to catch up with the Senators' staff. Tuesday, Tkachuk also dined with several former teammates -- and yes, he picked up the check -- with whom he has stayed close from an eight-year stint in Canada's capital.
The Senators' fan base, however, could have a less positive reaction to seeing Tkachuk back in their building.
It was late last April, following Ottawa's first-round playoff sweep by Carolina, that Tkachuk spoke publicly about the "frustrating" questions regarding his commitment to the Senators and doubled down on his loyalty to the team.
Behind closed doors, though, Tkachuk approached general manager Steve Staios about wanting out. Tkachuk still had two years remaining on a seven-year, $57.5 million contract that included a full no-movement clause, and he was willing to waive it for the opportunity to join his brother Matthew and the Panthers.
So, Staios shipped Tkachuk off in June in exchange for a trio of first-round draft picks (two in 2026 and a conditional in 2029) plus a 2027 second-round selection. Tkachuk left town with the fifth-most points in franchise history (463 in 572 games) and fourth-most goals (213).
The disconnect between Tkachuk's words and actions has been a sticking point for fans and made his departure even more painful. Tkachuk reiterated that there were private "personal and professional reasons" he shared with Staios about his request and wasn't open to sharing them. That leaves Tkachuk's motivations open to interpretation. But he's not concerned about his own feelings getting hurt.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinions; whatever emotions there may be, they're entitled to that," Tkachuk said. "I know for me, [a negative response] is not going to be taken personally. I know how I feel about this city, about this fan base, and how thankful and appreciative that I am. It's not going to change how I feel."
There isn't much Tkachuk can do to control how the fans respond to his presence, anyway. He will attempt to be altruistic in the face of their displeasure, though. Tkachuk told Matthew on Tuesday's episode of their "Wingman" podcast that any of his old No. 7 Senators sweaters tossed onto the ice during Wednesday's game will get rounded up and donated to Ottawa's local Boys & Girls club.
And it helps that Tkachuk is going into an important Atlantic Division battle on a heater. After tallying zero points in his first six games with the Panthers, Tkachuk exploded with consecutive natural hat tricks to give him six goals and 10 points through nine games.
There is a resignation, almost, in Tkachuk in the hours leading up to Wednesday's return. He laughs at having stayed in a local hotel prior to a game for the first time since his rookie development camp and spoke wistfully of how he'll share memories with his grandkids someday of the time he spent with the Senators. One way or another, the homecoming is over with early in his Panthers tenure and should, he hopes, allow everyone to move on with him into this new phase of his career.
"You can't really control the past at this point," Tkachuk said. "Just have to accept it and move on to the next chapter. I loved my time here. I loved not just my time on the ice; I loved everything about the community. There are relationships [built] that will last a lifetime...I gave absolutely everything I had. So hopefully, that's my legacy here."