LILLEY: Anti-American sentiment helped push Brady Tkachuk out of Ottawa
· Toronto Sun
There were plenty of factors pulling Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk south to play in Sunrise, Fla.
There was the opportunity to play with his brother Matthew , potential tax savings that with proper planning could amount to about $1 million per year and, of course, the contrast in winter weather — an average high of -5 C in January in Ottawa versus 25 C in south Florida.
Visit fish-roadgame.com for more information.
But there was another factor some people in Ottawa don’t want to admit: Anti-American sentiment helped push Tkachuk out of the city.
More behind move than money, sunshine
Born in Scottsdale, Ariz., and raised in St. Louis, Mo., Tkachuk is a proud American — as he should be. Yes, his mother Chantal is from Winnipeg, where his dad Keith played for the Jets , and he has deep Canadian connections, but this young man bleeds the red, white and blue.
For most of his eight seasons with the Senators, including six as captain, that was never an issue. Then Donald Trump was re-elected as president of the United States and many Canadians seemed to lose their collectivist minds.
When patriotism becomes a problem
Any American who showed affinity for their home country was pilloried, ostracized and made to feel unwelcome — and Tkachuk was no exception.
Do you think Tkachuk was happy to hear the American national anthem booed at Canadian Tire Centre on frequent occasions in 2025 when U.S.-based teams visited? What about when he played alongside his brother Matthew at Bell Centre in Montreal as part of the 4-Nations Face-Off just weeks later?
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
Message sent that American players not welcome
Sure, it may have felt good in the moment. It may have seemed like fans were sending a message to Trump — though they weren’t — and it likely gave some a sense of superiority, something Canadians often enjoy feeling over Americans.
But it also sent a clear message to the captain of the Senators — and to virtually every American player on a Canadian NHL team — that they aren’t welcome here.
The reaction to Tkachuk representing Team USA at the Olympics only reinforced that message. For some, it was treated as a betrayal. Winning gold and accepting an invitation to visit the White House, along with attending the State of the Union address, only amplified the backlash.
Even the Tkachuk brothers appearing on Fox News with Bret Baier was enough to spark outrage in some circles. Local CTV and CBC newscasts ran stories highlighting how “controversial” these actions were, often portraying Tkachuk in a negative light.
From ‘fully committed’ to fed up with noise
Then came the constant rumours — that he was leaving, that he wanted out.
“I feel like I’ve answered this hundreds of times,” Tkachuk said at the end of last season when asked about the speculation.
“It’s becoming a distraction and I have been fully committed to this team, to the city and it’s just becoming a distraction — frustrating to deal with.”
Eventually, it became enough of a distraction for him to ask Senators management for a trade.
Ottawa gets assets, Tkachuk gets peace
He had two years left on his contract and could have entered unrestricted free agency down the road. Instead, the Senators received three first-round picks and a second-rounder in exchange for the talented left winger.
As for Tkachuk, he gets something else entirely — peace.
He’s closer to family. He benefits from lower taxes. He can shelve the parka, except for road games. And perhaps most importantly, he escapes the constant chirping about himself and his country.
No, anti-American sentiment in Ottawa isn’t the only reason Tkachuk left. But it would be naïve to pretend it didn’t play a role — and a significant one at that.