After trading away former captain Jacob Trouba and re-signing goalie Igor Shesterkin to a multi-millionaire deal, the New York Rangers are still active in the market in hopes of finding the key to their unresolved puzzle in the NHL season. General Manager Chris Drury had reportedly set his sight on the Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. Despite the loud buzz generated, Tkachuk issued a blunt confession on the rumors.
Tkachuk tallies 13 goals and 16 assists, through 27 games on the season. The 25-year-old leads the Senators in goals and is second for most points. The Rangers would love to acquire the left-winger to help their lackluster offense.
Though the Senators’ underwhelming start to the season suggested they might be open to trading Tkachuk, it seems Ottawa has no wish to move on from their captain.
After many days of speculation, Brady Tkachuk broke the silence on the topic and delivered a straightforward statement.
Ottawa Senators Left Wing Brady Tkachuk (7) during warm-up before National Hockey League action between the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators on February 9, 2021, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
“It’s stuff that I can’t control so, to be honest with you, it doesn’t really bother me because it’s coming from a place where it’s not true,” Tkachuk said via The Ottawa Citizen.
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NHL News: Rangers star Artemi Panarin issues bold statement after loss to Connor Bedard's Blackhawks
Rangers cannot get over slump
New York’s struggles continue to extend and their position in the standings keeps falling. After the 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, the problems deepened for the Rangers. Artemi Panarin voiced a very strong message to his teammates.
“I don’t know what to say anymore,” Artemi Panarin stated, via NHL.com. “But we had tons of chances again, we should score, but we don’t. Chances don’t win the games, we know that. We have to score, hopefully again. I feel like I say that 100 times already, hopefully next game.”
