Tim Stutzle isn’t sweating the hole Brady Tkachuk left behind.
With Ottawa moving on from its captain in June, the Senators still haven’t put a new “C” on anyone’s sweater. But Stutzle made it clear Friday that he thinks the room will take care of itself.
“I think we've got some really good players,” Stutzle told The Athletic's Chris Johnston on Friday. "(We made) some really good additions.
And also the leadership we have, obviously, besides our captain leaving. I think the leadership we had in the room before and the support group of Brady, I think, was really strong and still is really strong.
"I'm not concerned about that at all. I think we have a bunch of great leaders. No matter if someone's wearing a letter or not, we're a bunch of great guys."
That leadership question is part of the bigger reset in Ottawa after Tkachuk was dealt to the Florida Panthers in June following his request to move on. He’ll join his brother, Matthew, in Florida, while the Senators continue sorting out who steps into the void.
Stutzle is one of the names in that mix, along with Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and Claude Giroux. Ottawa hasn’t announced a captain yet, but those are the kinds of players who could be in line for the job.
For Stutzle, the trade didn’t leave bad blood.
“He was a friend of mine. He still is,” Stutzle said. “Obviously, if you lose a guy you played with for five years, it's always kind of a change of scenery.
"I wish him all the best, but I'm also happy that we have a lot of guys who want to be in Ottawa. And if that's his decision, that's his decision. I'm going to respect that, obviously, and we're going to move on."
The return package gave Ottawa three first-round picks from Florida, and the Senators later sent one of those picks to the San Jose Sharks in a deal for forward William Eklund. Eklund is not Tkachuk, but the team is treating him as the closest thing to a replacement in the aftermath of the move.
Ottawa also brought in Andre Burakovsky and Samuel Ersson this offseason as it tries to push past back-to-back first-round playoff exits.
And if there’s no captain yet, there’s still no shortage of offense at the top of the roster. Stutzle led the Senators with 83 points last season, and he has paced the club in scoring in three of the last four years.
In Other News...
Senators Ratings Hint At One Big Truth About Ottawas Core
EA Sports latest NHL 27 ratings offer another snapshot of where the Senators believe their young core stands, and there is at least some validation baked into the list. Ottawa has 10 players among the top 300, with Tim Sttzle, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Thomas Chabot and Claude Giroux all showing up in a group that suggests the roster is deeper than it was not long ago. For a team trying to turn its promise into something more durable, those ratings are a useful reminder that the organization is no longer being evaluated on potential alone.
The more interesting part is how the list frames Ottawas identity. Sttzle and Sanderson sit near the top of the Senators ratings, while Giroux is still carrying a standout number in a key skill that speaks to how important he remains in guiding the offense. Add in Batherson and Chabot landing in the same broad range, and the picture is of a team with real top-end talent, but also one still sorting out exactly whose influence is defining the core as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Senators First Round Defense Prospect Faces Big Post-Injury Question
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Hensler has since started the long climb back, with recovery underway and a return to the ice by the end of July. For Ottawa, the important question now is less about what he showed before the injury than how quickly he can get back to building on it, because his next steps will help determine how soon he can push himself back into the organizations long-term plans. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Stutzle Sets The Tone For Ottawa After Brady Tkachuk Exit
Tim Stutzle spoke publicly for the first time since Brady Tkachuk was dealt to the Florida Panthers, and his message was straightforward: the Senators have to turn the page and keep their attention on the group that is still here. He acknowledged the departure, but framed it as part of the reality of the league, where roster changes can arrive quickly and leave little time for reflection.
Stutzle also made clear that Ottawa is not viewing the move as the end of its ambitions. Even with one of the teams most recognizable young players gone, he expressed confidence in the current roster and the Senators chances to stay in the playoff mix. The bigger question now is how quickly that belief translates into results, especially after a change that reshapes both the room and the expectations around it. [Read more 🡒]