Brady Tkachuk Holds Back Tears While as Trade Deadline Causes Him Heavy Loss

The NHL trade deadline ended at 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday. The final day saw teams frantically trying to capitalize on the window. Fans were bombarded with rumors around every corner, many of which, like Bruins’ captain Brad Marchand getting traded to the Panthers, came true. However, the last-minute dash and shuffling around were just as tough for some players. Case in point? Brady Tkachuk.

Tkachuk fought back tears while talking to reporters about his now-former teammate, Josh Norris. In fact, the Ottawa Senators’ captain choked up so hard he could barely get through a sentence. “It’s pretty tough. Yeah, I don’t want to… Yeah, it sucks,” stumbled the team captain while talking about losing his teammate to the Buffalo Sabres in a final day trade.

“Obviously everybody knows how much he means to me, so… Yeah, next question,” Brady Tkachuk added, finding it too hard to continue discussing the topic. Yet, the conversation with the press once again circled to Josh Norris when one of them asked if the friends had a chance to talk since the trade went through. Unfortunately, they didn’t get the chance.

“Just spent the last whole day with him… Kind of take advantage of every minute the rest of the day,” said Tkachuk, still fighting to hold in the tears. The two have been best buddies for almost the entirety of the five-plus years he was with the Senators. So it’s not surprising the NHL forward felt so distraught after losing his friend and teammate.

Tkachuk also explained that Josh Norris was his “number one guy,” to share everything and “not just on the ice.”. The Team USA forward said the friends even shared stories of their personal triumphs and hardships. Meanwhile, the now-former Ottawa Senators center seems to have found an equally appreciative squad with the Sabres.

Buffalo Sabres’ on acquiring Brady Tkachuk’s teammate

The Sabres were in the market for what Kevyn Adams described as a trade that would benefit the team. Unlike teams such as the Boston Bruins who are going for a comprehensive rebuild, the Buffalo Sabres refused to trade for young unproven talents or draft picks. However, they seemed to have found the perfect match in Josh Norris.

The Sabres’ GM explained they chose Norris because he’s the kind of player who improves the whole team. “Just a really good hockey player that is a true center who we think is going to be a guy that can come in and give us a boost and make the guys around him better. And that’s why we targeted him,” Kevyn Adams told reporters about Brady Tkachuk’s former teammate.

Yet the praise didn’t stop there. Adams also praised the ice hockey center’s ability. He’s a 200-foot center, very, very talented… He plays in all situations. I mean all situations,” explained the Buffalo GM. Norris has also brought quite the resume to the NHL, with two 20+ goals seasons already under his belt at 24. In fact, his career high is 35 goals in 66 games.

The Buffalo Sabres also acquired defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, sending Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, to the Ottawa camp. So while Brady Takachuk is sad about losing his friend, it’s just how things turn out during trading season. The duo shouldn’t have problems continuing their friendship off the ice as Tkachuk indicated they’ve done for years.