You could see the emotion on Brady Tkachuk's face after the Battle of Ontario ended.
Throughout the series, which ended in a six-game Ottawa loss to Toronto, Tkachuk spoke about his appreciation for the Senators fans and franchise.
The captain reiterated that commitment in his post-season press conference on Saturday.
"I want to play here, I want to be here, and I really believe in everybody in this organization that everybody wants to win here. That’s what makes it fun. Everybody has the same goal and wants to accomplish the same thing," he said.
Tkachuk disputed rumours that he wants to leave.
“Obviously, it’s a lie. All those articles, stories, it’s just not true. But I think it’s on me if I let that bother me or take me off what I’m trying to do," he said.
While it is unclear exactly what Tkachuk was referring to, Senators owner Michael Andlauer blasted the New York Rangers for "soft tampering" in December following a New York Post report indicating the Rangers would target Tkachuk in a trade.
Tkachuk is under contract with the Senators through 2027-28 at $8.214 million per season.
Meanwhile, Tkachuk acknowledged that he sustained a hip injury at the 4 Nations. He said it was an upper-body ailment that affected him at the end of the season, but would not reveal its exact nature.
"Let's just say it’s something you can’t really play through," he said.
He added that he would be "watching from afar" as brother Matthew's Florida Panthers take on the Maple Leafs in Round 2.
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