Brady Tkachuk has a message for Senators fans planning to toss their jerseys during his return to Ottawa. He'll donate them to the Boys and Girls Club of the city.
The Florida Panthers winger was traded out of Ottawa in June after a contract dispute with the Senators. The move left plenty of bad blood with the fanbase, and Sunday's game back in his former home figures to be hostile. Some supporters have already said they plan to throw Tkachuk jerseys on the ice as a protest.
Rather than ignore the gesture or fire back, Tkachuk is turning it into something constructive. Any jerseys thrown during the game will go straight to the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa. It's a savvy move that takes the sting out of what could have been an ugly scene and actually benefits the local community.
The jersey toss has become the calling card of fan anger in hockey. Whether Senators supporters actually follow through remains to be seen. Either way, Tkachuk has already won the optics battle. He shows up angry, gets booed, and leaves knowing the donated gear helps kids in the city where he played.