Brady Tkachuk's former coach was both surprised and pissed at his trade demand

It's been a wild offseason in Ottawa, and the dust still hasn't fully settled. The Senators made one of the biggest moves of the summer when they shipped captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers back in June, and while the hockey world has had plenty of time to digest the trade, one voice had been notably absent from the conversation. That changed this past week when head coach Travis Green finally broke his silence on the situation during an appearance on the 100% Hockey podcast with Daren Millard and John Shannon.

Green's Emotional Reaction to Losing His Captain

Green revealed that he didn't find out about Tkachuk's desire to leave until roughly three to four weeks after the season wrapped up, when general manager Steve Staios filled him in. And when he heard the news? Let's just say it stung.

Green admitted he was caught off guard by the request, calling the whole situation "unfortunate," a word he said he'd probably lean on a lot when discussing the matter. He acknowledged feeling a range of emotions, including some genuine anger. He didn't try to sugarcoat it, either, saying he was "a little surprised" and when pressed on whether he was mad, he confirmed: "A little bit." But he also showed an understanding that players have to make their own choices, and at the end of the day, you move forward.

What made it sting even more was that Tkachuk was one of the reasons Green was excited to take the Ottawa job in the first place. The young captain was a cornerstone of the team's upward trajectory, and Green had envisioned him being a central part of the club's continued growth. To hear that Tkachuk wanted out after the Senators were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes was a tough pill to swallow.

Green also shared that he deliberately waited until after the trade was finalized before reaching out to Tkachuk personally. He felt it was best to let the business side of things play out between Tkachuk, his agent, and Staios. Once the deal was done, the two had what Green described as a good conversation. Having played with Brady's father, Keith Tkachuk, during his own playing days, Green intends to maintain a positive relationship with the family going forward.

Why Green Still Believes in Ottawa's Future

Despite the loss of their captain, Green made it clear that he's not hitting any kind of panic button. In fact, he sounded genuinely optimistic about where the Senators are headed. Tkachuk was dealt to Florida on June 21 in exchange for three first-round picks and a second-round selection, and Staios wasted little time flipping one of those first-rounders to the San Jose Sharks for skilled winger William Eklund. The club also added veteran forward Andre Burakovsky from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Green pointed out that Ottawa's biggest gains next season won't necessarily come from new additions but rather from the internal development of their young core. He rattled off an impressive list of players he expects to take meaningful steps forward, including Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Ridly Greig, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, Fabian Zetterlund, and Tyler Kleven. In Green's eyes, there's a ton of untapped potential still sitting in that locker room.

It's also worth noting that Ottawa went 12-5-5 without Tkachuk in the lineup last season, which suggests this group already knows how to win without their former captain. Many around the league have suggested that a dark cloud of speculation about Tkachuk's future has been lifted, and the team can now move forward with full clarity.

Green wrapped things up by expressing his belief that the Senators' roster genuinely enjoys playing together and is fully committed to winning in Ottawa. The team opens the 2026-27 campaign on October 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tkachuk's first return to the nation's capital as an opponent is slated for October 21. That one should be circled on every Sens fan's calendar.