Devan Dubnyk said, even as a former NHL player, just telling it like it is about NHLers can feel odd. But Brady Tkachuk doing it as the Senators' captain was a weird line to walk, and it should go more smoothly in Florida.
Former NHL goalie Devan Dubnyk reacted to a report that Brady Tkachuk's podcast contributed to some problems for the Ottawa Senators.
On Monday's episode of 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman discussed Tkachuk's requested trade and departure from the Senators, as well as the Wingmen podcast, hosted by Tkachuk and his brother, Florida Panthers alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk.
"Post-Olympics, a lot was going on; the (Senators) players were tired of it," Friedman said. "I did have someone reach out to me, one of the players… the podcast caused some problems."
Dubnyk discussed the report on Monday's episode of The Hockey News Big Show with Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos. One of his main points was that even as a former player, he can find it odd at times to say it how it is on certain players and teams.
"To do that and have media takes, and talk about topics around the league while you're playing, is weird," Dubnyk said.
"It's what it is today, but it would be weird doing it. I think it will fit now as far as like – it's going to go a whole lot smoother now that they're on the same team and they're in Florida, they can share a studio together, whatever, and nobody's going to get up in arms about it, but still just a weird line to walk when you're playing both sides of it."
Dubnyk thinks Wingmen won't be as much of an issue with both brothers in Florida now.
"Having a podcast and saying whatever you want to say when you play on the Florida Panthers is a whole different ball game than saying whatever you want to say when you play on the Ottawa Senators, and you're playing on a Canadian team – it's not the same thing," Dubnyk said.
Tkachuk was traded to his brother's squad on June 21 after requesting a move from Ottawa. After the Olympics, he faced criticism of Team USA's reaction to comments American president Donald Trump made about the women's hockey squad.
He also had to address comments his father, Keith Tkachuk, made on the podcast about injured players, which led to speculation that he was referring to Senators goalie Linus Ullmark.
And in the playoffs, Tkachuk failed to record a point in a four-game first-round loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Now, the brothers don't have to worry about pleasing two different markets.
Traikos acknowledged that the problem with having NHL players host a podcast is it could portray someone in a bad light or limit what can be said while they're giving all this access to the fans.
"It's funny that way," Traikos said. "We want all the access, but it's like, do you want all the access? Because if you get it all, you're going to hear and see some stuff that you probably aren't going to agree with."
That said, he offered a different perspective on the podcast.
"But as a hockey fan, I live for this kind of stuff – I wish every player on every team had a podcast, or peeled back the curtain and gave me more access," Traikos said.
Neither Tkachuk nor the Senators have commented on Friedman's report.
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