A contract impasse has not stopped forward Brady Tkachuk from becoming the new captain of the Ottawa Senators.
That’s right: on Friday, the Senators named Tkachuk their 10th captain in franchise’s history.
“Brady’s ingrained understanding of what it means to be a pro has made him the right choice for the team’s captaincy,” said Senators general manager Pierre Dorion in a news release. “He holds a unique skill set and places team success above all else. Admired by teammates and coaches, and respected by opponents, he’s certain to serve as a great ambassador for both our team and for the city of Ottawa.”
Just a few into the 2021-22 season, Tkachuk finally agreed to a seven-year, $57.5-million contract with the Senators. The team has now rewarded him by sowing the C on his jersey. Tkachuk's contract has an average value of $8.214 million annually.
There was chatter that Tkachuk was not looking for a long-term deal, though the idea of being named captain might have helped the negotiations.
The 22-year-old becomes the 10th captain in Ottawa. Erik Karlsson served as the most recent Sens’ captain from 2014 to 2018.
He is in his fourth year with Ottawa after the Sens selected him with the fourth overall pick in 2018. Over 205 career games, Tkachuk has 62 goals and 67 assists for 129 points.
