Sens’ captain Tkachuk: ‘This is the most excited I've been going into a season my whole career’

The Ottawa Senators arguably put together one of the best off-seasons in recent memory.    After finishing the 2021-22 season with a 33-42-7 record, seventh in the Atlantic Division, general manager Pierre Dorion made a trio of marquee acquisitions, adding long-time Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux, two-time 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat, and 2022 All-Star goaltender Cam Talbot.   Sens captain Brady Tkachuk is thrilled with the club’s off-season additions and says the entire roster is ready for training camp to begin in a little under two weeks.   “This is the most excited I've been going into a season my whole career,” said Tkachuk on TSN1200. “The positive vibes and momentum, we just want to carry that into the season.   “Everyone is so excited to get camp going and get off on the right foot.”   Tkachuk says Giroux, the longest-tenured captain in Flyers history, and DeBrincat have both made early impressions on the dressing room both on and off the ice.

“I've been able to get to know [Giroux] this last week and he's going to be great for our group. Everybody knows the career he's had, he's been top of the league for the last bunch of years and a captain for a reason,” said Tkachuk. “[DeBrincat] is an unreal player. Everyone knows about his shot but people don't realize how good of a skater he is. He's already fit in so well.   “We just have an awesome group. That's what's going to make our group so special, just how tight we already are and how tight we're going to be.”   The Senators fell out of contention early last season, as injuries forced Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, and Thomas Chabot to miss large portions of the season. However, the Senators' young core did flash their potential once healthy late in