Insiders discuss Andlauer's 'soft tampering' claim on Tkachuk

Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer did not hold back when talking to TSN's Pierre LeBrun at the NHL Board of Governors meeting, bringing up the issue of ‘soft tampering’ with captain Brady Tkachuk. The TSN Hockey Insiders join Gino Reda to discuss Andlauer's concerns and the 'simmering issue' of tampering in the NHL.

Gino Reda: Gentleman, Larry Brooks, last Friday, threw out an article suggesting that the New York Rangers were very interested in Brady Tkachuk and that maybe there was a way for them to acquire him somewhere down the road.

And now just a few moments ago, Pierre, we bumped into Michael Andlauer, the owner of the Ottawa Senators in the lobby of the hotel. Why don’t you share what he had to say to you?

Pierre LeBrun: I had a chance to sit down with Michael Andlauer for a piece in The Athletic, a wide-ranging interview, but of course, we got to his captain Brady Tkachuk given the news that happened last week. I can tell you that Michael Andlauer did not hold back his frustration and anger that that report was out there.

He called it “soft tampering” twice during this interview as far as he considers something that the league should be cracking down on. He’s upset because, as he says, it’s the third time since he’s been the owner of the Ottawa Senators that they’ve had to put out a fire around rumours around Brady Tkachuk and other teams being interested in him.

Michael Andlauer made it clear to me, he, nor the Senators, have spoken to one single team in the National Hockey League about Brady Tkachuk at any time. He’s their captain and he’s going to be their captain long term, according to Michael Andlauer.

Chris Johnston: Look where we are now. I think this is going to be a topic of discussion at the Board of Governors meetings. It might be a developing one and it remains to be seen if it’s going to be on the agenda or not, but this has been a big, hot-button subject for the league.

You go back to last July 1; the NHL did not like how that free-agent period went. It’s something Bill Daly brought up with the general managers in November. There was a recent memo put around reminding teams that they can be fined money or draft picks and there can be serious consequences in cases of tampering.

It was framed as a reminder of what the rules are, but clearly, this has already been a simmering issue and then you get something like this. I think it’s very likely, with the power brokers here in Florida, it will be discussed.

Darren Dreger: The problem is that memos and emails sent by the commissioners’ office are toothless, they don’t matter. That’s the viewpoint of pretty much every owner across the National Hockey League.

It really impacts the Canadian markets most, or at least it seems to. Smaller markets like Ottawa and Winnipeg, because even with players that are under contract, or perhaps expiring contracts, there’s always this notion, this belief out there that ‘Oh, this player doesn’t want to stay in Winnipeg. They don’t want to stay long term in Ottawa. No, they want to go to greener pastures. Better taxation.’ All that kind of stuff is an issue that, the Canadian general managers especially, have had to deal with. The frustration, I would say, from both the general managers and the owners is that the league really can’t do anything about it.

Of course, you could find somebody, but unless a team like Michael Andlauer and the Ottawa Senators file formal charges, the National Hockey League isn’t going to do anything to get to the allegations.

LeBrun: I don’t know if Andlauer is going to do that. He certainly told me that he intends on bringing it up with Gary Bettman and Bill Daly while he’s here at the Board of Governors meetings.

The other point to make here is, as Andlauer said, he and GM Steve Staios had to go to Brady Tkachuk again when all this happened, to clarify with him and to make him rest assured that ’No, this is not true, we’re not talking to the New York Rangers or any other team about you.’ That’s the unsettling part from Andlauer’s perspective, about having his 25-year-old captain have to worry about that.

Johnston: Do you know what’s hard here? To get formal complaints. You have to have proof, right? You have to have something in an email or digital format. I don’t think people are that dumb in this league.

We’re all in the gossip business. We talk, the agents talk, the GMs talk, the owners talk, and so, how do you nail someone on this?

Reda: This is why we’re talking about this being “soft tampering.” No one is suggesting that anyone is out there talking directly to Brady Tkachuk. There was no implication of that whatsoever. But, if a team makes it known publicly that they’re interested in a certain player then that crosses the line.

LeBrun: Let’s be clear, Larry Brooks, we all know him, he’s a colleague and a Hockey Hall of Fame journalist. There’s no question in my mind that his information is he was told that the Rangers were targeting Brady Tkachuk. For sure that’s probably true from the Rangers' perspective, but the Senators are upset because they clearly view this as an end around to get Brady Tkachuk’s attention.

Dreger: I’m still confused by the term “soft tampering.” I mean, can you just sort of cheat? You’re either tampering or you’re not tampering, “soft tampering” or otherwise.

Reda: The discussion we’re having here is already getting a little feisty. Can you imagine what’s going to happen behind closed doors when this topic is brought up with the rest of the Board of Governors?