Quote:
Originally Posted by browna
JG’s quote was framed a little different IMO. It tended to lean towards that they didn’t see it on the ice, saw the replay when getting off the ice, and didn’t think it warranted quite the reaction (and sounds like it wasn’t the first time Tkachuk had gotten this upset), “but that was MT being MT”.
That and whatever previous similar beef JG mentioned, sounded like it was more a MT personal/individual issue that he reacted to, not a “I’m upset the team lost and now I’m the only one getting emotional”.
He has looked off significantly. Seems to be happy making or trying to make one play a shift and if it doesn’t work out, that’s it, he’s got no confidence. And yeah if that team meeting clipped his wings a bit, he’s likely not in a good space yet.
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That’s what I took from it. I suspect the conversation went:
Tkachuk: you guys didn’t have my back against Muzzin
Team: we didn’t even see it happen - everyone on the bench was heading down the tunnel. Anyway, we saw the tape - there really wasn’t much to it. Muzzin was just trying to get your goat. Frankly, it’s exhausting and getting old how we have to get into big scrums because you fly off the handle at a minor stuff, or knee a goalie in the head, etc.
I doubt the team told him “we don’t have your back” and I doubt they said “don’t play with emotion”. But let’s be honest - Tkachuk gets himself into a lot of incidents all on his own and it has to get old for some guys. He is putting his linemates in a situation where they have to grab some 230 pound defenceman and hope for the best. I recall Claude Lemieux’s teammates getting tired of his antics and just leaving him on the ice for a line change when he faked an injury trying to draw a penalty for the umpteenth time.