Brady Tkachuk Media Availability – Nov. 27

Brady Tkachuk Media Availability – Nov. 27

on the eve of your return after this six-w weekek layoff. Uh you have just a little bit more to be thankful for today. Yeah. Oh, happy Thanksgiving. It’s uh no, very thankful, very grateful for, you know, the people especially the the people that helped me get back. um know the strength staff, the trainers. I know I got to give a little shout out to the equipment guys even though they provided very little over these six weeks, but uh no, it’s just overall just uh know a lot of just great human beings here and just so thankful for my family and uh you know, just thankful to be able to play the game I love again. It’s uh it was a long six weeks. It was uh you know, tough stretches or some highs or some lows and just I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity to be playing again and uh really excited to know join the boys. Next, we’ll go to Julian McKenzie with The Athletic. Hey, Randy, can you hear me? Yep. Uh, first off, happy Thanksgiving. Uh, I got just a few from me, but um, was it always the plan when you, you know, looked at your timeline and when you could be back? Was it always the plan for you to try to come back for that game against St. Louis that that return at home? I’m not going to lie to you. Um, at the start I got all my weeks messed up. So, I thought I was coming at the start of the road trip and then once we got halfway through the recovery like, oh, oh, it’s the St. Louis is a six week. So, um, yeah, because I thought I was going to be, you know, starting the trip in Anaheim. But, uh, yeah, I mean, I guess it just happens to work out. you know, there’s always, you know, a reason for, you know, stuff that happens, things that you can’t really predict and, uh, don’t make sense, but it’s, you know, for it to work out that St. Louis is going to be the first game where have the opportunity to come back in front of, you know, family and friends and everybody that supports me, it’s, uh, um, you know, made the recovery a little bit better and something to, you know, set my eyes on, set my goals towards. How was it for you following your team around and watching games from the press box? I know you’ve mentioned on your podcast and and we know you enough to know that you’ve been raring to go and and and get back on the ice for weeks. Hey, I’m not going to lie to you. Not a fan from watching up there. Um it just um No, it stinks when you know you’re not able to go to battle and compete with your teammates and and guys that uh um know you kind of ask them to do that and not be able to you know join them. It’s uh that was probably the hardest part is the kind of the no control factor. But uh I’m just so grateful for for the group and you know just being around them and and them kind of just you know asking uh you know things um uh when it came to mind. Honestly, it’s just I’m I’m super proud of the effort that they put in and just uh how they just everybody elevated their standard and and know for me it’s I’m just looking to join into that and join what they’ve been building for the last six weeks and and they’ve been doing an amazing job and and I’m just so excited to you know be able to join that and and elevate in any way that I can. And last one for me just what has been the most impressive part of how your team has played in your absence? What are some specific qualities that you’ve noticed in this team that have impressed you the most in these last six weeks? I think the one the biggest one for me is the the maturity and finding ways to win. It’s you know there’s there’s been games where it hasn’t been the prettiest but you know you find a way to get a point or um you know squeak out a a you know win in a big two point. So that’s probably the biggest thing I’ve been proud of and uh you know something that you know they’ve built uh the group’s built this last six weeks and that’s just the the mindset mentality. So, you know, for me it’s it’s honestly just uh you know, adapting and and to you know, bench dynamics uh in the locker room and and just kind of um I guess analyzing is the best way I could say is just uh and see what ways I can, you know, m mold myself back into it and uh uh adapt to any situation because, you know, they’ve been building such a s such a great thing over these last six weeks and, you know, really proud of them and and like I said, I’m just my mindset is just, you know, join what they’ve been building and uh and help out in any way that I can. Next, we’ll go to Bruce Gary. Hey, Brady. Um, happy Thanksgiving. Just uh I got a couple for you. Can you kind of go through Brady your timeline of how you’ve been able to do things like you started with skating, when did you start stick handling, that sort of thing? Yeah, I um know I started skating. I think it was six six days post surgery and and as you guys could tell was no stick. Um and I was a couple weeks with Shelly working on power skating which was such a huge benefit that I can see you know for myself and you know a couple times of the week with uh you know sexy and and just doing bag skates. So, um, so I did that for, you know, four weeks and at the four-week mark post surgery was able to stick handle and and quite honestly, I thought the the shooting would take a little bit longer, but know the shot felt pretty good right from the start. So, for the last, you know, two weeks been, um, of course, doing all the conditioning, doing all the, you know, the bag skating, but, um, you know, being able to stick, handle, and shoot and and feeling really good and confident in that and, you know, taking face offs and practice and, um, no, I feel really good. So, I’m I’m really, uh, grateful for, you know, Dr. Hodchkiss, you know, the trainers and make me feel uh, honestly even better than I was before. And, u,, know, feeling good. Other than playing in Ottawa, could you think of a better stage though to to make your comeback than than St. Louis? Yeah, I think you’re having the boys over for dinner today. Hopefully your mom’s not cooking for 40, but um No, but could you think of a better way to return than than say Yeah, honestly, it’s um if it’s not playing and know in Ottawa, it’s uh I think this is, you know, top of the list. It’s um I only come here once a year and uh know I feel like it always happens around Thanksgiving. So um which is very grateful for because you know a lot of my my friends are going to be around this weekend so be able to see them after the game and and maybe even some today. Um, so yeah, I think it’s uh it made kind of everything go a little bit better um knowing that this is the day that I wanted to play and and was pushing to play and know that it was just going to be a special moment just to be back playing the game that I love in front of the people that uh know I love. So, um yeah, it’s going to be a special moment and just uh grateful that uh I’ll be able to do what I love again. Thanks, Gra. I’m glad you’re back because I won’t have to get up at 7 a.m. to listen to the Wingmen podcast to get an update on your health like I have for the last three weeks. Yeah. Well, thanks for listening. Next, we’ll go to Nick St. Pierre. Hi, Brady. Thanks for doing this and happy Thanksgiving. Uh I was just wondering like it’s a kind of a followup to uh Julian’s uh question from your perspective and uh since you’ve been around the team, how much did you appreciate and you you uh notice progression and the maturity and the leadership of certain of your uh teammates? I’m thinking about like Tim especially like how much can you tell us about that progression? Yeah, I mean it’s um honestly just being proud. Um, you know, of course, you know, being hurt for the six weeks, it’s um it was tough and and uh you know, for example, Timmy, I mean, I I mean, everyone already knew how unbelievable of a player that he was, but uh he even raised his own standard and and took charge. And um know that’s just one guy for example, but I can you know the whole roster, everybody, you know, took charge and and uh know push himself to be even better than they were. And uh um I think that’s what makes you the most proud of our group is is not just being able to do that, but it’s just the the self accountability that uh no um just be better than they were. And uh it made you know my life a lot easier. um I was seeing all the wins, seeing all the points and and uh um no, they definitely took care of me. So, I’m looking to come back and and just uh help out and uh honestly just to be be in the battle is something that I’ve been thinking about this whole six weeks is just going out there and and and competing for wins. And one last question, if I may, uh how much of a challenge will it be for you to uh get back to the rhythm of this point of the season? A lot of players that like came back a little later, it’s been a challenge. How how much of a steep hill is it for you? You think? You know what? It’s Yeah, it’s um I mean, it’s a new experience. I mean, I’ I’ve been hurt before, but I mean, I know the two things that I’m going to trust the work that I put in um trust all the skating, all the condition, all the bag skates that um know turn that steep hill into a just kind of like a steady road. And uh um honestly it’s I I I think this might uh come out but not expect perfection right away. And I think for me it’s it’s adapting adapting to situations, adapting to um the way the game’s going and and for me it’s I I know what my mindset’s going to be tomorrow. simple and work ethic game and not going to think about anything that I can’t control other than um you know my compete level and and being ready to play and and uh not give myself any excuses not to be you know ready with all the details. So I’m really going to be focused on just simple things I can control and and uh of course uh work ethic is going to be my number one. Welcome back. Thank you. Next we’ll go to Andrew Willck. Uh, thanks for doing this, Brady. Um, happy Thanksgiving. My my question is just about uh the last time we spoke to you, you mentioned how you didn’t want to just do status quo. You wanted to work on some specific elements of your game over these past few weeks. I’m wondering in specifically, I know like you’ve been skating a lot. Is there anything else that you’ve been specifically working on? Um, you know what? It’s I think I mean the number one that I feel most confident right now is my skating and uh no conditioning and and feeling like I’m know able going to be able to do it shift in shift out and and uh honestly for me I I put a lot of emphasis on stick handling when I was a able to I was stick handling a lot and uh you know I feel like my hands are um you know improving and and uh you know more confident more um you know really tried stick handling with my head up um did a lot of practice with that for the last little bit. So, um now feel confident out there where I don’t have to look at the puck and um can look for plays and know that the puck’s on my stick. Thank you. Good to have you back. Thank you. Next, we’ll go to Julian Pekquette. Hi, Brady. Um that I can remember is pretty much the only the second time you’ve missed significant time during a season. Uh how you talk about the highs and the lows of of a recovery like that. How does it compare to what happened last season where you like part of it was precautionary before the playoffs and how like how different was it to to come back from that injury than the previous one? Yeah, I mean definitely last year’s was was really tough in the playoff push. Um that was that was tough to kind of deal with. I mean there it was something I couldn’t play with. Um even if I tried I I couldn’t do it. Um so that was tough and and um no but this this time around being my first surgery it was uh a whole new experience where um obviously I had to I had to rework my mobility in my my thumb and and my hand and you know the scar tissue and stuff like that. So um that wasn’t fun and and at times wasn’t very confident. um where you know of course you know when you get hurt you want to get back as quick as you can and you feel like you’re not making any progress then uh it just becomes taxing uh emotionally and mentally draining but uh you know then it kind of just took a know turning point where I really started getting mobility started feeling great and uh was able to go out and do things painless and and uh um so that was uh now a new experience but something that uh you know a lot of people go through and and uh I felt like it uh happened for a reason and uh I was able to grow in a lot of areas of my life. And just one last for me, um you you mentioned on your podcast, I think it was two weeks ago about how you you couldn’t wait to run through guys. How many hits should we expect from you? I don’t know. Um no, I’m not going to run out of position, but uh no, just miss the miss the battles on the ice. miss the miss the soreness after games um know missing the know the sacrifice to your body to win games so I’m really looking forward for that uh to happen tomorrow all right thank you very much Brady thank you next we’ll go to Adam Stanley hey Brady Adam Stanley with Sports Net thanks for doing this you talked a lot about obviously the the physical recovery um just curious on the on the mental side of things how are you feeling emotionally and mentally you know you mentioned not expecting perfection coming into this return, but just on the mental side as you head back into this return, how how are you feeling there? You know, I’m actually feeling uh you know, really good. Of course, I’m I’m going to have nerves for um you know, for tomorrow, you know, being the first game back, but I think uh nerves is a good thing. I think you can really use that in a in a positive way. and and uh no I have a great uh great group of people that uh um you know have helped me out throughout this whole process you know mentally emotionally and uh um no feeling really good feeling feeling really know positive confident and uh um and all that credit goes to my teammates and you know my support circle and and uh um no I’m just know excited to do what I love again just one quick followup you talk about the support circle obviously family at home Was there something that you were upset, frustrated about that you couldn’t do while at home with a young family because of your injury over the last little while or have you been pretty well pretty well dialed with with everything else on the home front away from the ice? Yeah. No, I I was useless the first couple weeks. So, um, no, I felt really bad for for Emma. Couldn’t really, you know, help out with Ryder and and uh definitely couldn’t do stuff around the house. So maybe I maybe I uh overused that one a little bit. But uh um no, it’s it’s just tough that you know little things like cutting your food. I couldn’t couldn’t do that. So um yeah, there’s just some things some new skills that I had to learn with my left hand. But uh uh you know brushing the teeth and stuff like that where for the first couple probably felt like I I didn’t even brush them because I did such a bad job. So um but no it’s it’s it stuck in that way but uh no looked at it positively that uh able to you know learn things and and you know try to you know do things with the left hand. All right man thanks so much. Good luck. Thank you. Thank you. We’ll go back to Julian McKenzie. Hey Brady. Sorry. Just got have like a few more follow-ups. I wanted to ask you about your podcast. uh how did you and Matthew uh get the idea to do a podcast and what led to it starting up and how’s it been for you guys? Um no, first off it just I think it kind of came uh to our attention, you know, after for nations and before playoffs that we might have an opportunity to do something like that and uh um no, we were excited about it. We we saw it as as an opportunity to know grow the game and and of course there’s been no active NHL players um you know doing podcasts. So we thought that you know to have that opportunity to be able to you know grow the game and and have you know looking at it if there was a podcast and we were kids coming up playing youth hockey or even playing any sports just to hear know active players just talking and like like they normally do it. It’s uh I’d be tuning in every time. So, uh, for us, it’s an opportunity to grow the game and, uh, I’m I’m having a blast with it and, um, really enjoying it and just just been fun that just just FaceTime with my brother, but, you know, many more people can listen to it. How’s it been for you just, you know, making sure you’re on the same schedule as as him in order to be able to record the podcast? and and what’s your setup like in terms of, you know, you mentioned being on FaceTime with your brother, like is like what’s it like having to pack a mic or what’s the setup like for your podcast when you have to look it around with you when you travel? Yeah. Well, we have know a great team at Wave. They’ve they’ve come set up, you know, home spot, you know, home setup at back in Ottawa and then I’ve got a little backpack of some stuff here for the road. So, um they do amazing job with scheduling with, you know, providing everything that we need and and uh um yeah, it it’s uh it’s never something I I expected myself to be doing, but know since we’ve been started, it feels like uh that was meant to be and and uh no, it’s just really awesome and exciting that uh we have an opportunity to grow the game and make it uh better than we found it. And last one for me, I promise. Um what have you made of Lena Smark’s play in his last few games? Three wins in a row. uh for the first time this season. It seems like he’s turning a corner in his play. What have you made of how he’s kind of dug himself out of what seemed like a slow start to this season? Uh I mean I it’s I definitely think it was um kind of overanalyzed at the start. I think he know he’s a tremendous goalie and uh you know a leader and a a big personality for our team and and uh um know love having him and Levy back there. that’s we have, you know, so much trust in them and and uh no belief that they’ll make that, you know, big save at the right time and it showed last night in Vegas. Um, you know, big save 3 minutes left and and uh in the third period and and to get a crucial crucial two points. So, um I know I have and and we have all faith in our goalies and and uh um that they’re amazing players, amazing people and uh u amazing for our locker room. Thank you so much for your time and welcome back. Thank you. Next we’ll go to Jonathan Jan. Hey Brady, thanks for uh doing that. Just a little bit in the same area as you were talking about the the points are so important right now. The the sendings are so close like during the game yesterday. The team was out of a playoff spot and after the win into a playoff spot. So coming back in this kind of situation, do you feel you’re bringing kind of the same energy as acquiring a a new guy like having a trade something like that? How do you see that the energy you can bring in the next few games for the guys that did well during your your absence? I mean, yeah, I’m just going to try to bring, you know, full of emotion, full of energy, and, you know, use my freshness to my advantage and and uh yeah, I mean, I’m really excited and uh you know, try to create uh uh excitement, positivity, and just that freshness of uh coming back and and uh you know, knowing that just we’ll give whatever it takes to help the team and and and help build on uh or help uh what they build. So, um I’m really excited for that opportunity. Knowing how much you ate being in the the press box, did you have more time to look at those standings or you don’t want to do that in the course of the season? Yeah, I mean it’s it’s every game super important. Of course, you see how tight everything is and how like you said, if we lose that game, we’re 20th in the league. So, um I think it’s perfect that uh those big games start November.

Hear from Captain Brady Tkachuk as he met with the Ottawa media group via zoom ahead of his return to action tomorrow in St. Louis.