Ottawa Senators veteran Claude Giroux shared his thoughts about Brady Tkachuk’s blockbuster trade. Brady shocked the hockey world after he was dealt to the Florida Panthers in a blockbuster trade last month.
The clouds of doubt regarding the future of Brady Tkachuk in Ottawa had been hovering above him for some time now. However, he reportedly demanded a move out of Ottawa just 1.5 weeks after the Senators’ brutal first-round series sweep exit to the Carolina Hurricanes, who became the eventual champions.
The Senators are without a captain at the moment, and Claude Giroux is the one set to step up in the team’s leadership role after Brady’s departure. During a recent interview with NHL.com, Giroux expressed his honest views on Brady’s departure:
“You just don’t think that that’s going to happen,” he said. “Brady was captain here. He was great in the community, he did a lot for this community and you just don’t think that kind of trade would happen. Obviously it did.”
Giroux and Brady Tkachuk played for four seasons together in the Canadian capital.
Claude Giroux staying with Senators after re-signing contract
Following Brady Tkachuk’s departure, there were also doubts about Giroux as to whether he would remain with the team or test free agency.
The 38-year-old veteran ultimately showed his loyalty and signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Sens. The move was crucial for the team’s leadership, especially after Brady’s departure.
“It didn’t take very long for me to realize that I wanted to keep going, wanted to keep going with this organization and take that next step,” he said via NHL.com. “We’ve been saying that for a few years now to take that next step, but it’s time to do it now.”
Giroux added:
“We were just evaluating all the scenarios and at the end of the day, playing here, especially last year, the end of the second half we started clicking a little bit more, started playing some better hockey, so it’s just exciting.”
Claude Giroux joined the Senators as an unrestricted free agent in 2022. He has 242 points (85 goals and 157 assists) with the Sens over four seasons. Last season, the veteran amassed 49 points and 14 goals in 82 games.
Edited by Abhishek Dilta
