Though Travis Green says he's focused on the future, the Ottawa Senators head coach opened up about the shock and disappointment he felt after the club traded captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers earlier this offseason.
"It was probably about a month after the season, three weeks that (general manager Steve Staios) brought me up to speed, and you asked me if I was surprised? Oh man, a little bit, of course," Green recently said on the 100% Hockey Podcast, per Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. "He was a big part of your team, captain of your team. When I came to Ottawa, I was really excited to coach the team, and for a lot of different reasons, there were a lot of good young players. He was one of them."
Green added, "He would have been part of that reason that I came there and the progression that our team was on. I really like where it's going, and he's a big part of that. So to hear that he had asked to be traded, or he was going to be moved at some point, unfortunate is a word I probably will use a lot. I can't speak for Brady, but I was a little surprised. Would I say mad? A little bit. But also understanding that players have to make decisions, and you move on, though."
Tkachuk requested a trade after the Senators were swept in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes. Following the elimination, Tkachuk said rumors surrounding his commitment to Ottawa had become a distraction.
The 26-year-old reportedly gave Staios a list of four teams he'd accept a trade to but was motivated to join his older brother, Matthew, on the Panthers. Ottawa received three first-round picks for Tkachuk and flipped one to the San Jose Sharks to acquire forward William Eklund.
Despite being spurned by their captain, Green said he believes the Senators are in good shape to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa has qualified for the playoffs the past two years.
"There are always changes. Much like when we have injuries, you move on, and we've lost a good player. We've gained a couple of good players," Green said. "We've got a real good young player in Eklund, and I've got a lot of faith in our group. I still think we're improving. It's going to be different with Brady not there, but that's part of the NHL. There's change all the time, and we move on, and we'll be ready to go next year."
The Senators begin their 2026-27 season on Oct. 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tkachuk will get his first chance to return to Ottawa as an opponent on Oct. 21.
