OTTAWA | Brady Tkachuk was part of the first group of Senators to hit the ice at the Canadian Tire Center on Thursday. As he has done since being named team captain, he has led by example.
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This is exactly what his head coach, DJ Smith, wanted from him and the other players. Tkachuk led the way for his group by participating in the drills with intensity. He skated hard like he was on the eve of the playoffs.
Although it was his first official practice of the season, he expressed his displeasure after a missed pass or shot. Word f… has been heard a few times.
Tkachuk proved he still had his scoring touch.
During a three-way run with Josh Norris and Drake Batherson, he beat Quebec goalie Antoine Bibeau with a wrist shot into the top corner. A beautiful goal.
A winning trio
We often talk about his character and his robust game, but we forget that he has excellent hands. He didn’t score 30 goals by chance last season.
“It was fun to get back on the ice with my teammates,” Tkachuk said during a press scrum after his two practices. During camp, I want to focus on improving myself every day. »
He was happy to find Norris and Batherson at his side.
“It’s easy to play with them. Our chemistry is still there. It is easy to find on the ice rink. I had fun playing games and scoring a few goals with them. »
Create a winning culture
Reconstruction is complete in Ottawa. All hopes are allowed with the acquisitions of the last few months. General Manager Pierre Dorion and Smith want to take their training to the next level.
While Dorion has spoken of the goal of playing meaningful games until the end of the year, the head coach wants to establish a winning culture after several lean seasons in the federal capital.
A message that did not fall on deaf ears.
“Having a winning culture is about pushing yourself and helping your teammates push their limits,” Tkachuk said. Today [jeudi]we had a glimpse of it during a 1 against 1 exercise.
“We saw players who didn’t hesitate to play physically to get the puck. They wanted to push their teammates to the next level. »
Learn from Giroux
In addition, his leadership will be supported by Quebecer Thomas Chabot and veteran Claude Giroux who will be his assistants. This is not to be overlooked when a team has important objectives.
“We know Claude for his achievements during his career. He was a captain for several years [avec les Flyers de Philadelphie]. I’m lucky to be the captain from day one and to have the opportunity to learn from his past experiences.
“In the locker room, I expect him to say the right things at the right time. I am convinced that he will show our team the right path. »
A different start to camp
This time last year, Tkachuk was home. He couldn’t agree on a new contract with the Senators.
He had missed a large portion of training camp before agreeing to a seven-year, $57.5 million pact.
This time, he started the campaign at the same time as his teammates. According to him, his coach’s approach to the camp is no different from last season.
“It’s pretty much similar to last year,” Tkachuk said. We have to work hard so that we are ready for the games as soon as possible. »
In the notebook…
Alex Formenton is the only notable absentee in the camp of the Senators. The unrestricted free agent is still looking for a new contract. With the new acquisitions of his team, his balance of power is not very good. The Director General Pierre Dorion confirmed that talks are continuing with the 23-year-old winger’s clan. However, there has not been much progress in the past few days. Ottawa has room for maneuver of $5.6 million to come to an agreement with Formenton.
Speaking of Dorion, he took advantage of the first practices to come and greet members of the media in the stands. He discussed baseball with some of them, including the home runAaron Judge. The general manager was in good spirits and he can’t wait for the regular season to begin.
The Senators players took to the ice and the intensity was on. The head coach DJ Smith wanted a commitment from his men from the start and that’s what he got. “The guys are in good physical condition,” Smith said. We managed to do what we wanted. Since they had been skating for several weeks, it was easier for them to push the machine,” he said.
The Senators listen to their players. In addition to making some changes to the locker room, they hired a chef for post-game meals. They want their athletes to eat well so that they are able to maintain their energy levels through a very busy schedule.