OTTAWA (AP) 鈥� Brady Tkachuk is tired, and it has nothing to do with having a newborn child.
Back in Ottawa on Wednesday following the birth of he and his wife Emma’s second child, the Senators captain bristled at rumors that he might be interested in playing in the U.S.
鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e answered this hundreds of times,鈥� said Tkachuk, who is from St. Louis. “None of that, I feel like I鈥檝e never shown, I鈥檝e never said, none of those things ever came out of my mouth. And quite honestly, it鈥檚 just getting frustrating. It鈥檚 becoming a distraction, because I have been fully committed to this team, to the city, and it鈥檚 just becoming a distraction and frustrating to deal with.鈥�
Tkachuk was held without a point in the first-round series against Carolina, a .
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anybody鈥檚 more frustrated with how everything went than me,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t the end of the day I didn鈥檛 play good enough. I tried doing everything in my power to get my game going to make an impact, and just felt like nothing was going, nothing was going in, nothing was going my way. I have to live with that.鈥�
Tkachuk said he wasn鈥檛 dealing with any injuries, making his lack of production that much more difficult to accept.
Despite the postseason not going as planned Tkachuk believes the Senators took strides this season and looks forward to connecting with general manager Steve Staios to discuss how the team can continue to improve.
Tkachuk said he struggles to understand why there鈥檚 skepticism surrounding his commitment to the team and the city. With two years remaining on his contract Tkachuk isn鈥檛 even in a position to start talking about an extension until July 2027.
“Honestly I don鈥檛 get why,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a consistent thing, and it鈥檚 happened so many times, personally, and it鈥檚 frustrating to have to answer to something that has never been spoken out of my mouth. Has never been spoken from the team鈥檚 mouth but I just feel like I have to consistently answer to it, and it鈥檚 just frustrating.鈥�
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