Travis Green didn’t hide how he felt when Brady Tkachuk’s trade request finally landed in his lap.
During a recent appearance on 100% Hockey with John Shannon and Darren Millard, the Senators head coach said he was caught off guard when he learned his captain had asked to be moved, and admitted the news hit him with some real frustration.
Green said general manager Steve Staios brought him into the conversation about three or four weeks after the season ended. By then, the path had already been set.
"To hear that he had asked to be traded, and he was going to be moved at some point, unfortunate is a word I probably will use a lot," Green said. "And I can't speak for Brady.
But I was a little surprised, a little... you know... Would I say mad?
A little bit. But also understanding that players have to make decisions.
And you move on, though."
Green said he held off on reaching out to Tkachuk until after the deal was finished. He explained that he wanted the business side to run its course first, and said that after the trade, the two had a conversation and handled it like professionals.
"At the time, I didn't talk to Brady till after the trade was done. I just felt like it was best," Green said.
"That was between his agent, Steve, and Brady. But we talked not long after the trade.
Obviously, you know, you have to put business aside and talk as men. I really enjoyed coaching him for two years.
We had a good conversation... You wish them luck, and you move on."
That “move on” message came up again when Green shifted to what Ottawa looks like now. He said the Senators lost a good player, but also added that they’ve brought in a couple of good ones, including a young player he described as a real good addition in Eklund. He also said he has plenty of faith in the group and still believes the team is getting better.
"We've lost a good player. We've gained a couple of good players.
Obviously, a real good young player in Eklund. And I've got a lot of faith in our group.
I still think we're improving," Green said.
Green also pointed to William Eklund’s continued growth and said Ottawa is hoping Andre Burakovsky can find the form that helped him become an important piece on two Stanley Cup-winning teams.
But in Green’s view, the biggest jump for the Senators may come from the players already in the room. He named Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, Ridly Greig, Fabian Zetterlund, Jordan Spence and Tyler Kleven as young players he expects to keep developing this season.
"There's a lot of guys with a lot of room for improvement," Green said.
That idea of moving on isn’t just talk for this group, either. Ottawa went 12-5-5 when Tkachuk was out of the lineup last season, and Green’s comments suggested he believes the team can keep that momentum going even after the captain’s exit.
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