Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk says he is ready for a playoff push with the club after being “Public Enemy Number One” while playing for the United States during the Winter Olympics. Tkachuk and the U.S. men’s hockey team won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Milan, beating Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game. Tkachuk and defenceman Jake Sanderson are expected to return to Ottawa today ahead of Senators first game following the Olympic break on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. In an interview with Fox News Tuesday night, Tkachuk was asked what he was expecting in his return to Ottawa. “They’re not the happiest with me right now. Just go back, give them everything that I got,” Tkachuk told Fox News. “It’s a funny feeling when you feel their support every day and then, within two weeks, you’re Public Enemy Number One. I’m going back with a smile on my face and get ready for a playoff push.” Tkachuk described playing at the Olympic Games for the United States and winning a gold medal as an “amazing experience.” “To be able to represent this country and this amazing people and millions of Americans that were back home and we felt their love, we felt their support,” Tkachuk said. Tkachuk, his brother Matthew Tkachuk and several members of the U.S. men’s hockey team toured the White House and attended the state of the union address on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump honoured the team during his speech, and the team received a standing ovation. “They beat a fantastic Canadian team in overtime,” Trump said. In a post on social media on Sunday, the Senators congratulated Tkachuk, Sanderson and video coach Mike King on being members of gold medal winning U.S. hockey team.
