Keith Tkachuk was a guest on this week's Wingmen Podcast.
Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark has been taking some serious heat over the last few days for missing Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. According to head coach Travis Green, Ullmark needed rest and was unavailable to start.
Three days later, Ullmark was back in against Florida, but was pulled in the first period after giving up five goals, the first coming just eight seconds into the game.
The Senators went on to lose the game, 6-3.
Some fans have vented their frustration on social media, but for an old-school former NHL player like Keith Tkachuk, playing through injuries and fatigue was part of the game.
On Wednesday’s new episode of the Wingmen Podcast, hosted by his sons Brady and Matthew, the elder Tkachuk was the guest and spoke of the lack of resilience in some of today's players. While talking about his own playing days, including getting into an NHL fight not long after breaking his wrist at the Olympics, Keith took a detour to start chirping some of the players of today's generation.
“That’s what happens, guys, you play through injuries,” Keith joked.
"Holy Christ, his whole team, appearing to motion toward Matthew. ‘Oh, my pinky hurts. I’m out for 6–8 (weeks),’” Keith said, in a slightly higher-pitched, mocking voice.
“‘I just had a bad sleep, so I can’t play today.’ Oh my god... disgusting. ‘I can’t play back-to-back. Mismanagement.'”
Since Keith was sitting across from the captain of the Ottawa Senators, whose goalie couldn't start the previous game because he needed rest, many people, including this writer, interpreted the comment as a shot at Ullmark. But Keith didn't identify anyone, so he absolutely could have been talking about NHL goalies today in general who don't often go back to back.
One can imagine the Tkachuk household being one constant chirp fest, and having some ball-busting fun was almost certainly the intent here.
Later on, Keith had some advice for his boys, sounding very much like a minor hockey dad in the car on the way home from the game. After chirping Matthew for the strength of his shot, describing it as "the muffin issue," he had some guidance for Brady.
"I'm done with the whole tipping (pucks) thing," Keith said. "You gotta get lower, Brady. You're too straight up when you're standing in front. Get going!"
"What the hell did this conversation just turn into?" Brady laughed.
Update: Brady was asked about his father's comments after Thursday's game and said that he was talking exclusively about Matthew's team, the Florida Panthers, and there was nothing about Linus Ullmark or the Ottawa Senators.
The discussion on the Senators happens at the 37:00 mark of this week’s Wingmen Podcast.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated that Keith Tkachuk was gesturing toward Brady and referring to the Senators and Linus Ullmark with his criticism. He was gesturing toward Matthew and referring to the Panthers. The story has been updated to reflect this correction.
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below: