Imagine this—grinding your way back from an injury, sidelined for over a month, and finally getting that surreal chance to step back into playoff hockey. Brady Tkachuk was living that dream, calling the moment “surreal” after catching the best sleep he’d had in ages. With high hopes and the hunger to help the Senators snap their postseason drought, he hit the ice at Scotiabank Arena… only to be hit with a wall of boos so loud it shook the boards. Leafs fans weren’t holding back, and neither were their lungs—welcoming Brady back to hockey with a harsh chorus of “Brady Sucks” chants.
It didn’t take long for the B/R Open Ice crew to catch on, tweeting out the chaos with emojis and all. Playing against Toronto in their first postseason dance since 2017, this was supposed to be a comeback moment. But the crowd? They had other plans. Still, Brady’s not alone in this—his captain wasn’t about to let the noise go unchecked. While the haters kept chirping, his captain stepped up and shut it all down, backing his guy and reminding everyone that passion, not pettiness, fuels true playoff hockey.
Jesse Blake hopped on X this weekend to drop a postgame gem—one that seriously hit different. After that wild playoff energy where Brady Tkachuk got hit with a wave of “Brady Sucks” chants from Leafs fans, Claude Giroux stepped up to the mic and brought a whole new vibe to the story. Cool as ever, Giroux spun that negativity into a twisted kind of love letter, and honestly? It was the captain energy we didn’t know we needed. When a reporter asked if that wild crowd noise might light a fire under Brady, Giroux dropped the ultimate mic-drop moment.
“I mean, in my eyes, it’s a compliment for Brady. You don’t do that if you actually suck. So, I mean, it’s a compliment. I’ve got the boot in Pittsburgh before and I’ll be honest, it’s one of the best games to play.” Like… come on. That’s a locker room legend move right there. Giroux basically took the hate and flipped it into fuel. While the chants echoed loud, his message was louder—if the whole arena’s yelling your name (even the not-so-pretty version), you’ve officially made it.
Claude Giroux talks about the “Brady Sucks” chants from Leafs fans and says it’s actually a compliment for Tkachuk.
“You don’t do that if he actually sucks.” @sdpnsports pic.twitter.com/li4PdG6FLZ
— Jesse Blake (@JesseBlake) April 22, 2025
This story is developing…
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