Brady Tkachuk will represent Senators at NHL All-Star Game

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Brady Tkachuk is headed into enemy territory in the Battle of Ontario to represent the Ottawa Senators at the all-star weekend.

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The National Hockey League announced the representatives of the 32 teams Thursday night and the Senators captain was selected to head to Toronto for the annual festivities that will take place from Feb. 1-3 at Scotiabank Arena.

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“I’m really honoured,” Tkachuk told TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson before facing the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night at Climate Pledge Arena. “There’s a lot of guys in that room who could have represented our team, city and organization.

“But, for it to be myself, I wouldn’t be in this position without family, friends and, of course, my teammates because we push each other every day.”

This will be Tkachuk’s fourth consecutive appearance at the all-star event, however, he likely wishes this selection came under better circumstances and he was caught off guard by the invitation.

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“I really didn’t think much about it because all my focus has been on the team and how we can improve day-in and day-out,” Tkachuk said. “It’s definitely an honour and I’m excited about it.”

Yes, the 24-year-old Tkachuk has 16 goals and 27 points in 33 games this season with the Senators, but this was supposed to be the year this club pushed for a playoff spot and the Senators aren’t even close.

Tkachuk has been one of the Senators better players, however, like everybody else, he hasn’t performed up to expectations or nearly consistently enough to help this club have success.

If this club is going to compete, Tkachuk has to be better at both ends of the ice, especially defensively. He’s not alone on that front but as the club’s captain his job is to lead by example and Tkachuk knows that.

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Tkachuk isn’t sure what kind of reception he’ll get from the good people in Hogtown. The NHL has decided to bring back the all-star draft this year so he isn’t sure who he will get to play until after the process is completed.

“I’m excited, especially being in Toronto, where I’m going to be enemy so I’m definitely going to take advantage of that opportunity and it’s going to be a pretty cool experience,” Tkachuk said.

STUTZLE JUST WANTS TO WIN

Some people will be surprised that Tim Stutzle wasn’t chosen ahead of Tkachuk by the NHL’s hockey operations department.

That likely won’t bother the Senators centre because he’ll get a long break to take a step back during what has been a difficult season. Yes, he went into Thursday’s visit to Seattle with seven goals and 34 points in 33 games, but he’s not the least bit pleased with where this club sits.

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“The consistency hasn’t really been there for me,” he told reporters before facing the Kraken. “I’m just trying to play my best game every night and I’m making a few too many mistakes here and there. I’m trying to get better every night.

“I’ve just got to keep believing, keep playing my game but right now everything is about winning games. It’s always been that way for me. I don’t care about seven goals or 20 goals. Obviously, if I had more goals we would have won some more games but, in the end, I’ve just got to be better in a lot of areas.

Stutzle has had to make adjustments to his game after the club installed Jacques Martin as the interim head coach on Dec. 18 and brought in former captain Daniel Alfredsson as an assistant.

Both have made it clear to Stutzle they want him to be as good defensively as he is offensively. He sat for a seven-minute stretch in the second period of the club’s 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday at Rogers Arena.

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That doesn’t mean the club is trying to stifle him offensively.

“I just have to trust in my play. If I play my game I don’t usually make a lot of mistakes,” Stutzle said. “Sometimes there’s some risk to my game and they want me to play that way too. In the end, I’ve got to do higher percentage plays.”

Stutzle said he has to shoot the puck more.

“The confidence isn’t really there. I’ve just got to shoot more pucks and just get better every night,” he said. “I trust that I make the right plays at the right time, but there have been times where I should have shot instead of making the extra play.

“I’ve just got to trust the way I play and be confident in myself.”

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THE LAST WORDS

Martin made a couple of changes against Seattle.

Defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker, who has struggled and had only 13 minutes of ice time Tuesday in Vancouver, was scratched.

That meant blueliner Erik Brannstrom, who dressed as a forward for two games, returned to the club’s defence. Winger Zack MacEwen was unable to suit up because he was ill.

Winger Mathieu Joseph isn’t ready to return from his lower body injury, but has been skating with the team. He isn’t eligible to come off long-term injury reserve until the Senators face the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Under the terms of LTIR, a player must miss 10 games and 24 days. That means Joseph won’t miss his 10th game until Saturday in Edmonton.

If Joseph does play Tuesday, general manager Steve Staios will have to make room under the salary cap to add him to the roster.

BGarrioch@postmedia.com

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