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Brady Tkachuk fights back tears while addressing Josh Norris' trade to Buffalo Sabres

Modified Mar 07, 2025 18:44 GMT

Brady Tkachuk is having a difficult time handling the trade of his close friend Josh Norris. In a surprising blockbuster deal on Friday morning, the Ottawa Senators traded Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker to Buffalo in exchange for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and a 2026 second-round draft pick.

The trade came out of left field. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk spoke to the media after practice and was visibly upset and extremely emotional. He had a difficult time talking about losing one of his best friends, although he understands that in the NHL business comes first.

Senators reporter Claire Hanna shared what an emotional Tkachuk had to say during his media availability after the trade. Here is what she posted on X:

"Brady Tkachuk was fighting back tears while being asked about Josh Norris being traded. Says “he was my number one guy I’d talk to about everything, not just on the ice,” #Sens," Hanna wrote on X.

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Shukri Wrights of SiriusXM shared the full video of Tkachuk's interview on X.

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Tkachuk and Norris spent six seasons together in Ottawa, though lacked success on the ice, never making the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The disappointing results along with Norris' unfortunate injury issues led to general manager Steve Staois moving on from the 25-year-old.

Brady Tkachuk and the Senators now welcome in Dylan Cozens

Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators have to shift their focus to welcoming their newest acquisition, Dylan Cozens. After showing his emotion on the loss of Josh Norris, the Senators captain quickly pivoted to speak on his new teammate. Claire Hanna shared his comments on X.

"Tkachuk says he feels bad for Dylan Cozens that this is his first reaction after the trade but given the history between Tkachuk & Norris it’s tough. #Sens," Hanna wrote.

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Dylan Cozens is a 24-year-old center who has produced 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 61 games this season. The first-round pick (seventh overall) from the 2019 draft could benefit from a fresh start in Ottawa.

Cozens could make his Ottawa Senators debut on Saturday afternoon in a game full of playoff implications against the New York Rangers. The puck drops at 12:30 p.m. EST at the Canadian Tire Centre.

About the author

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

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