Tim Stützle isn't worried about a leadership void in Ottawa now that Brady Tkachuk is gone, and he made that clear this week.
This week, Stützle spoke to The Athletic about his former captain's departure, and the message was clear and direct
He wished Tkachuk well, but was quick to point out Ottawa still has plenty of players who want to be there and want to lead.
No matter if someone's wearing a letter or not, Stützle said, this group is full of great guys all pulling in the same direction.
That kind of comment matters more coming from Stützle specifically. He's coming off a career year, posting 83 points over 80 games with 34 goals and 49 assists.
A player putting up numbers like that carries real weight in a room, letter or no letter, and his comments read like someone stepping into a bigger voice.
Why Ottawa's locker room might handle this better than expected
Stützle framed the whole thing around buy-in, saying as long as everyone's chasing the same goal, the group eventually gets there regardless of who wears the C.
That's a notable stance given how much noise usually follows losing a captain, especially one traded to a division rival in Florida.
Tkachuk still put up 59 points over 60 games last season before the trade, the kind of production that made this exit sting even without any bad blood attached to it.
Ottawa finished last season 44-27-11 with 99 points, good for ninth overall and a plus-32 goal differential, proof this roster doesn't need one voice to function.
Stützle's comments aren't just spin. A team that deep doesn't need a single captain to hold it together, and he clearly knows it.
Whether Ottawa actually names a new captain before the season starts, or spreads that responsibility around the room instead, is still an open question.
Does Ottawa actually have enough leadership left after trading captain Brady Tkachuk?
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