Brady Tkachuk has bold response ready for Ottawa haters!

Brady Tkachuk is about to find out just how much resentment remains in Ottawa. The former Senators captain returns to Canadian Tire Centre Wednesday night for the first time since leaving, and the anticipation around the matchup has taken a decidedly uncomfortable turn. After eight seasons in Ottawa, Tkachuk’s exit has left plenty of fans unhappy, particularly after he informed the organization that he would not sign beyond his existing contract before being traded in June.

Now, the reception awaiting him could be far more hostile than anyone initially expected.

According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Tkachuk could be walking into a storm when he takes the ice in front of his former fans. The tension has become difficult to ignore, with Johnston noting that few return games have generated this level of vitriol from a fanbase.

Tkachuk, however, has already come up with a response to one possible form of protest.

The star forward has said that any Tkachuk jerseys thrown onto the ice during his return will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club. On paper, it is a charitable gesture that turns an ugly situation into something positive. But with emotions running high, even that plan could become part of a much bigger spectacle.

Jerseys raining down onto the ice would be an unmistakable sign of the anger some Ottawa fans still feel toward their former captain. And while Tkachuk’s donation plan gives those jerseys a worthwhile destination, it does little to guarantee that the night will unfold peacefully.

After spending eight years with the Senators and wearing the captain’s ‘C’, Tkachuk is no stranger to the passion of Ottawa’s fanbase. Wednesday will reveal whether that passion has turned into something much harder to overcome. This morning, Tkachuk did not show up at the Senators' visitor bench during the morning skate to see his former teammates.

One thing is certain: all eyes will be on Tkachuk when he returns to the nation’s capital. And if the reception is as hostile as some now anticipate, his response could become one of the night’s biggest talking points.