Brady Tkachuk gets emotional when addressing Josh Norris trade
This is heartbreaking to watch. The two forwards are very close friends. Watch below:
While trade deadline day is exciting for fans, pundits and insiders, it remains brutal on general managers and players and we quickly found out that was the case in Ottawa.
On Friday, the Senators pulled off a massive trade, shipping out Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Buffalo Sabres in return for centre Dylan Cozens, blue liner Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick.
As soon as the trade was announced, fans immediately wondered how Senators captain Brady Tkachuk would deal with the transaction, seeing that his close friend Norris is leaving.
When Tkachuk addressed the media, he was visibly upset and emotional, though he still took the time to share his thoughts on the move and losing Norris.
“It’s pretty tough,” Tkachuk said. “It sucks losing a guy like that. Obviously, everybody knows how much he means to me.”
He added, fighting back tears: “Just spent the last little bit with him. Kind of take advantage of every minute for the rest of the day.”
Apologizing to reporters for keeping his answers short on the topic, Tkachuk acted like a true captain and said he understood the business side of the deal.
“It’s the unfortunate reality of it being a business. We’re getting back important pieces that are really going to help us. I mean it sucks, it’s part of it. With [Cozens] and [Gilbert], we’re going to welcome them with open arms…I feel bad this is the initial reaction. Of course, I think they’re going to understand why it’s a little bit of whirlwind for me, personally. That being said, it’s all about being a good captain and being a good teammate and making sure that they have everything they need.
Tkachuk has played all of his career with Norris, who missed all but eight games during the 2022-23 season and 32 games last season while recovering from a shoulder injury. He has 90 goals and 156 points in 236 career games.
He will be missed in the Senators’ dressing room, even though Cozens comes in as a good addition, it still will change the room’s chemistry, especially for Tkachuk.
