The Senators' Atlantic voyage next season will likely determine whether their captain stays with his ship.
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is on a tightrope that nearly every big NHL star walks at some point, but usually not this early.
Tkachuk still has two years left on his contract, yet because he’s so popular here and such a unique, coveted player, many fans in Ottawa are already getting uneasy about the idea of losing him.
At the same time, fans in other markets are starting to imagine what it would be like to land him. That noise started last season in New York, with the Sens accusing the Rangers of soft tampering.
That tension only grew after another short playoff run in Ottawa.
As the dust has settled on the season over the past week, the questions came quickly. What happened? Why didn’t the Sens win? And what comes next?
It's that last question matters most, not just for the team, but for Tkachuk as well.
If he’s going to sign another contract in Ottawa, the Senators have to show they’re more than a second wild card. They have to prove they’re on a legit Stanley Cup trajectory.
Tkachuk, for his part, spoke lovingly about the fans and the city this week, but didn't provide a completely clear answer on his plans right now. And he shouldn’t.
Even if he already has an idea of what he wants to do, saying it publicly would serve zero purpose. If he declares he wants to stay, it hands all the keys over to the Senators for future negotiations. If he suggests he might leave, it creates an unnecessary dark cloud over the rest of his time in Ottawa.
There’s also a third possibility. He might simply honour his contract, take two more legitimate runs at winning here, and make his decision at the end of it. So in a way, next season is the start of one last test drive, so the engine cannot stall again.
From the Senators’ perspective, some clarity would be really valuable. If they come to believe Tkachuk isn’t likely to re-sign, they would at least have to consider their options. The more term remaining on his deal, the stronger their position would be in any potential trade discussion.
That’s not a path many fans are eager to go down, but everything will probably depend on how next season starts to unfold.
If the Senators take a meaningful step forward and establish themselves as a legitimate contender, then there's a good chance Tkachuk may stay. He loves his teammates and as a point of pride, we're betting he'd love to try and finish what he started.
Winning has a way of keeping everyone and everything aligned.
But if the team isn’t trending in the right direction, Tkachuk, with his no-move clause, could be open to exploring other options. If that happens, then the Senators would have to decide by next year's deadline whether accommodating that possibility makes sense.
Tkachuk already struck the balance he needed to strike this week, expressing his appreciation for the city, the fans, and the group, while keeping the focus on winning.
And that’s really what this comes down to.
For Tkachuk, Ottawa’s main appeal is the room, the relationships, and the belief that this group can accomplish what it set out to do. If that belief grows stronger next season, there’s every reason to think Tkachuk might sign an extension next summer.
If it doesn’t, then the interest fades on both sides.
For Tkachuk, the lure of playing for a warm-weather team in a low-tax state with a good chance to win will suddenly look even more attractive.
For the Senators, they might wonder if their core, which isn't so youthful anymore, is even worth keeping together.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
