When the Ottawa Senators on Friday dealt center Josh Norris to the Buffalo Sabres, they didn't just trade away one of winger Brady Tkachuk's longtime teammates.
They traded away one of his best friends.
A visibly emotional Tkachuk, who developed a close friendship with Norris off the ice during their seven seasons together in Ottawa, spoke to reporters on Friday after news of the trade broke.
"Yeah it's pretty tough," Tkachuk, holding back tears, said. "It sucks. Losing a guy like that, obviously everyone knows how much he means to me so yeah ... Next question."
Tkachuk and Norris, along with fellow Senators player Tim Stutzle, notably lived together, an experience that bonded the teammates. Both Tkachuk and Norris took to Instagram and posted a special photo of the two of them and Tkachuk's son, as clear of a demonstration as any that the relationship between the two is of the brotherly nature.
Both Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk posted this picture on Instagram. #Sens pic.twitter.com/iJ4uGjFbfV
— Alex Adams (@alexadamsBTP_) March 7, 2025
Norris, along with Jacob Bernard-Docker, was traded to the Sabres in exchange for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round draft pick.
Tkachuk said he was informed of the trade before Ottawa's Friday practice, adding that he spoke with Norris and tried to "take advantage of every minute the rest of the day."
Tkachuk, the Senators captain, did acknowledge the "important pieces" Ottawa received in the deal, despite how tough the trade has been for him to process.
"We're getting back important pieces that are really going to help us," Tkachuk said. "It sucks. It's part of it. But with (Cozens) and Gilbert, we're going to welcome them with open arms and I feel bad a little bit that this is the initial reaction.
"I think they're going to understand why it's a little bit of a whirlwind for me personally. But with that being said, it's all about being a good captain, being a good teammate, and making sure they have everything that they need and have the support right from day one."
Ottawa is 31-25-5 and currently holds the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as An Emotional Brady Tkachuk Was Heartbroken After Senators Traded Away Josh Norris.
