Thomas Chabot sends pointed message after Brady Tkachuk's Ottawa exit
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Thomas Chabot didn't hold back on Brady Tkachuk's Ottawa exit, sending a clear message about the kind of teammates he wants going forward.
Thomas Chabot is not shying away from where he stands on Brady Tkachuk's exit from Ottawa.
The veteran defenseman set the tone for what the Senators need moving forward, and it reads like someone who expects to be wearing the C sooner rather than later.
Chabot has been with the organization since he was drafted 18th overall in 2015, longer than anyone else currently on the roster, and he has already watched Ottawa search for a captain once before.
Tkachuk asked out of Ottawa this offseason after reportedly telling teammates for years he had no long term plans to stay.
The Senators sent him to Florida on June 21 in a deal built around draft picks, reuniting him with his brother Matthew on the Panthers.
Chabot wants buy in, not just talent
What stood out from Chabot's comments, first reported by Bruce Garrioch, is the focus on commitment over pure skill.
He is looking for a room full of players who want to build something in Ottawa long term, not guys just passing through on their way somewhere else.
"You want guys want to be here. You want guys to want to be part of this team and city. When you see something like that. I'd be lying to say I was happy when he decided to leave. We felt like we're on the verge of starting to make playoffs."
- Thomas Chabot
- Thomas Chabot
That is a pointed message for a team that just watched its captain leave with term still on his deal.
Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle are also candidates for the captaincy, and Ottawa is reportedly hoping to have a decision made before training camp opens on September 16.
Timing lines up with camp
With the season opener drawing closer, the front office under Steve Staios and Travis Green has been working through the options quietly behind the scenes.
Chabot choosing to speak up publicly now feels like more than a coincidence.
Whatever the front office decides, Chabot has made his priorities clear.
He wants a locker room full of players who are all in on the same goal, and for him that starts with buying into Ottawa for the long haul.
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