- The Senators launched a “Chuk Out The Old Jersey” trade-in promo after dealing Brady Tkachuk to Florida
- Fans could swap a Fanatics Tkachuk jersey for 40 percent off new merch at the team store
- Read below for the fan backlash and the team’s response
The Ottawa Senators are not letting Brady Tkachuk go quietly.
The team rolled out a promotion called “Chuk Out The Old Jersey,” a not-so-subtle jab at its former captain a few weeks after trading him to the Florida Panthers. From July 3 through 7 at Ottawa Team Threads inside Canadian Tire Centre, fans could bring in an officially licensed Fanatics Brady Tkachuk stitched jersey and walk out with 40 percent off regularly priced merch.
Here’s the pitch straight from the Senators:
The play on words writes itself. Tkachuk waived his no-move clause in June to join his brother Matthew in Sunrise, ending eight seasons and a captaincy in Ottawa. So the club is happy to help fans move on from a name that turned into enemy number one in the nation’s capital overnight.
Not everyone loved the fine print. The discount only applied to Fanatics jerseys, which left fans holding older Adidas sweaters wondering if their gear even qualified. Others figured 40 percent off was a bit light for handing over a jersey they paid full price for.
Ottawa kept the campaign rolling right up to the deadline:
The Senators eventually addressed the pettiness of it all. Their marketing shop waved off the idea that this was a shot at the guy who wore the “C” for the better part of a decade.
Marketing director Peter Shier was asked about the tone of the campaign. “We just want to have a little fun, to be honest,” Shier said, per TSN.
The stunt fits an offseason where the trades keep coming and Ottawa is already looking past its old captain. The Senators re-signed Claude Giroux and shifted the captaincy talk to a new group of leaders.
Tkachuk gets his first crack at the reaction in person when the Panthers visit Canadian Tire Centre this season. Whoever traded in a jersey for the discount will have a front-row seat, and probably a new sweater with a different name on the back.
