Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is speaking out, but it's not about his newborn baby's sleep schedule—it's about trade rumors that just won't die.

Fresh off the birth of his second child with wife Emma, a visibly frustrated Tkachuk returned to Ottawa and addressed swirling speculation that he might want out of Canada. "I feel like I've answered this hundreds of times," said the St. Louis native, his tone sharp. "None of that—I've never shown it, never said it, never came out of my mouth. Honestly, it's just getting frustrating. It's becoming a distraction because I've been fully committed to this team, to this city."

The frustration comes on the heels of a tough postseason for the Senators' captain. Ottawa was swept in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tkachuk failed to register a single point in the series. "I don't think anybody's more frustrated with how everything went than me," he admitted. "At the end of the day, I didn't play good enough. I tried everything to get my game going, but nothing was working, nothing was going in, nothing was going my way. I have to live with that."

What makes it sting even more? Tkachuk confirmed he wasn't battling any injuries—just a cold streak at the worst possible time. But despite the early exit, he sees progress in the Senators' season and is already looking ahead to conversations with general manager Steve Staios about how to take the next step as a team.

The persistent trade chatter, however, remains a sore spot. With two years left on his contract (and no extension talks possible until July 2027), Tkachuk can't understand why his loyalty is constantly questioned. "Honestly, I don't get why," he said. "It's a consistent thing, and it's happened so many times. It's frustrating to have to answer to something that's never come out of my mouth—or the team's mouth. But I just feel like I have to keep addressing it, and it's just frustrating."

For now, the Senators' heart and soul is staying put—and he's ready to prove it on the ice.