Senators captain Tkachuk is frustrated as Ottawa misses the playoffs again

OTTAWA – Senators captain Brady Tkachuk didn't mince his words when he talked about Ottawa missing the NHL playoffs for the seventh straight season.

“I’m tired of losing,” Tkachuk said Thursday as the Senators cleaned out their lockers. “I don’t want to go home in April. It's frustrating, (I'm) disappointed. At the end of the day just disappointing.”

The Senators (37-41-4) finished the season in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and 13 points out of the playoffs.

Tkachuk said he entered the season with “high hopes,” and there was reason for optimism early on under new owner Michael Andlauer.

Things quickly spiraled out of control, leading to the Senators parting ways with longtime general manager Pierre Dorion in early November and firing head coach DJ Smith six weeks later.

Tkachuk said the season took a toll on him mentally.

“There are days that weren’t fun,” he said. “And usually in past years it was fun to come to the rink every day, but this year there are moments where it was difficult to come in when things weren't going so well.”

The Senators have a young, experienced core. Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot have both played over 400 NHL games. Drake Batherson has played 309 games, while Tim Stutzle has 285 games under his belt and Jake Sanderson has 156.

But neither has played in a single playoff game, let alone understood what it takes to survive a long playoff run. Apart from Claude Giroux, there are few experienced managers and interim coach Jacques Martin spoke at times of the team's immaturity.

“It’s important to have players who have won and have playoff experience,” Martin said. “However, I think the answer lies with the players. There are some great players and they are the ones that are going to help them night in and night out.”

Martin will not be back on the bench next season but hopes to return as a senior advisor.

The 71-year-old declined to comment on what type of coach Ottawa needs, but said the team needs to put an emphasis on details and learn to manage the game better.

As the season progressed, the team was plagued by inconsistencies. They would find ways to beat league-leading teams like Dallas and Vegas and then lose to bottom-place teams Columbus and Chicago.

“Ultimately it’s about committing to playing the same way every night,” Chabot said. “As a team we know we have talent and good players, but at the end of the day it's about being able to do that.” Playing the same game every night, whether it goes well or not. It’s about finding consistent performance.”

Chabot said the Senators need to emulate teams like Boston and Carolina that find a way to be in every game until the end.

A number of players praised Martin for holding the team accountable. Giroux said the Senators need to find ways to handle the waves of a game more effectively.

“Our game has to grow,” Giroux said. “We have to help each other better, play more as a team and it's about being a professional. Whether it’s a clean sheet or a clean sheet or a loss or a win, it doesn’t matter, you just have to keep fighting and keep pushing forward.”

General manager Steve Staios will meet with the media on Friday. He still has a lot of work to do in addition to hiring a new head coach, including deciding where defenseman Jakob Chychrun fits into the team's plans.

Chychrun said he hasn't thought about his future with the Senators.

“That’s a tough question, I don’t know,” Chychrun said. “To be honest, I haven’t thought about that. I know I still have a year left (on my contract).

“There have been no discussions about an extension or anything like that, so I haven't looked into that idea yet. It's hard to sit here and act like I did. Take it day by day and see if and when we have those conversations and go from there.”

Notes: Tim Stutzle said he is dealing with a shoulder injury, while Chabot is also dealing with a few things… Tkachuk, Shane Pinto and Jake Sanderson will play for the United States in the World Cup. Pinto, who is seeking a contract extension, will take out additional insurance to take part in the World Cup if a new contract is not in place before his departure.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2024.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press