Brady Tkachuk Fields Questions On Team USA Celebrations, Controversies, And His Desire To Remain In Ottawa

As the NHL got back to work on Wednesday, the players from Team USA's gold-medal-winning hockey team have been highly sought after by the North American media. As players returned to their home cities, reporters wanted to know about their gold medal experience, of course.

But they mostly wanted to talk about the political fallout from the team’s celebrations and choices.

With Canadian fans still stung by the gold medal loss, things were always going to be a little awkward when Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson returned to Ottawa. But the hockey talk quickly took a back seat.

During their locker room celebration on Sunday, President Trump connected with Team USA on FaceTime and made an unkind remark about the women's team, and the players were caught on camera laughing about it.

FBI Director Kash Patel appeared in the locker room, chugging beer and partying with the team.

Then there was the polarizing decision to join President Trump at the Oval Office and the State of the Union address on Tuesday.

So, after arriving back in Ottawa yesterday, Tkachuk participated in the game-day skate on Thursday morning, and afterward, there wasn't much interest in asking about the crispness of the breakout drills or the crucial game against the Red Wings coming up in a few hours.

It was pretty much all politics and the Olympics.

First, Tkachuk described the gold medal win as a dream come true.

"It's something that you always hope and wish you can achieve, but to finally have it happen, honestly, I still can't really put words into it," Tkachuk told the large media scrum. "I still feel like I'm dreaming and somebody's gotta wake me up. So it's truly an unreal feeling."

Tkachuk described how honoured he was to visit the White House and be a part of the State of the Union address.

"I remember thinking, being in the Oval Office, it's just like, how did I get here? And it just was special. Just being an American citizen, you never really think, 'Oh, I'm gonna be going to the White House, see the White House, be in the Oval Office.' And for it to happen, it was really cool."

It didn't go over well with a lot of Ottawa fans, who dislike Trump for various reasons, not the least of which is his ongoing insistence that Canada should become the 51st state.

"I mean, first and foremost, I've given absolutely everything I have as an Ottawa Senator – blood, sweat and tears. And when you represent the US, being an American, it's an honour. There aren't many people who have come before to represent the country, and there are only three teams that have won the gold medal as Americans.

"So I mean, it's an honour to be able to represent everybody who supported me, helped me get to that position, and there are so many people behind the scenes I have to thank for that."

During the American locker room celebration, someone on or with the team yelled, "Close the northern border!" It was clear from the video that it wasn't Tkachuk's voice, but naturally, that didn't stop the online trolls from saying it was.

"I don't really know how that kind of took on a life of its own when I play here and give everything I have here. That's never even a thought that would happen in my head, so I would never say it. And I know it's crazy how things go on social media, how fast they go. Of course, I would never say anything like that."

In his call to the men's team, Trump suggested that he had no choice but to invite the women's team to the White House, too, or he'd get impeached otherwise. The comment was on brand for the President, but the players laughed along with the remark, which has drawn a lot of criticism.

"I mean, honestly, we're just coming off the ice, and I think it was 15 minutes later, you have the President of the United States calling you. You just can't really believe you're still riding the high of being a world champ, and for the President to take time and call...

"And when it comes to the women's team, I mean, I just have a story of what my favourite memory is from the Olympics, which is after we won and after the women's team came back from the closing ceremonies.

"Both our teams are just in the dining hall, hanging out, having fun, just kind of being on top of the world. You have two gold medalist teams just hanging out before we're going back to our respective cities, and it was just great to hear their experience. A lot of us went to a couple of their games, and they know that we supported them throughout the whole tournament."

Tkachuk also made an appearance on Fox Television on Tuesday night and was asked about the reaction he expects when he returns to Ottawa. Tkachuk told the hosts that "It’s a funny feeling when you feel their support every day, and then, within two weeks, you’re Public Enemy Number One. I’m going back with a smile on my face and to get ready for a playoff push."

Tkachuk was asked about that comment as well.

"I said this after Four Nations. It's a unique feeling when every single day you feel the support from this amazing (Ottawa) fan base, and then for two, three weeks they're not cheering for you. So I always thought that was just a crazy feeling.

"But for me, I'm just really excited to get back, and I know it's a quick turnaround, but just to get back playing and go for this playoff push and everything. I believe in this group, and I think there are great things to come with our group."

With the amount of controversy that has swirled around his national team in the past few days, some have speculated that this may have an effect on Tkachuk's interest in continuing to play in Canada when his contract expires after the 2027-28 season.

"That's not even something that has crossed my mind. I love playing for this team. I love the guys in this room. I really believe in what we're all about. And that thought has just never crossed my mind."

That’s a lot to unpack in one media scrum.

Eventually, the spotlight will fully shine again on hockey and the Senators’ playoff chase. It may just take a little time for the news trucks to clear out and the political headlines to fade.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News