Brady Tkachuk gets brutally honest about changing Venmo profile following compensation demands from bettors

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk revealed that he had to change his Venmo account. He told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski on Wednesday that gamblers were asking him for money and wanted him to cover their betting losses.

Tkachuk said many of the messages were about his shots or hits, not goals, and he removed his name and photo from the account.

"I eventually had to change my name, because my Venmo, like, I mean, I had it in college," Tkachuk said. "It was like a self in me and, like, my name. So people got a hold of that. So I had to change my name on it, and I had to take down my profile picture. So now, when I Venmo people, people are probably like, 'Who?' Like, 'Who the hell is Venmoing?'"

Tkachuk added that he never sent money to any fan, and that paying fans would break NHL rules.

"Absolutely not," Tkachuk said. "I wouldn't be playing in the NHL, because I bet that's breaking a lot of rules."

Tkachuk had another strong season in 2024-25, recording 29 goals and 26 assists for 55 points in 72 games. His physical play was a big part of Ottawa’s attack, and he led the team to its first playoff appearance since 2017. However, the Sens lost to Toronto in the first round.

Tkachuk said he cared more about winning games than covering prop bets.

"Honestly, I think it's funny because it's like people really think I'm gonna send them money, like, for not taking shots," Tkachuk said. "I'm more pissed that I didn't win the game or score, or whatever it may be."

The requests did not bother him much; however, Tkachuk found it strange that people expected players to cover their parlays.

"That's not even in our thought process," Tkachuk said.

Brady Tkachuk is positive after first round playoff exit for Senators

In the first round of last season's playoffs, the Ottawa Senators lost 4-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Sens struggled with the power play, scoring on only three of 15 chances. Key players like Drake Batherson did not produce enough, and Ottawa failed to get many shots in important games. For many of them, it was their first playoff experience.

"It’s devastating, we really believed," Tkachuk said in May, via NHL.com. "It’s a tough pill to swallow right now. I’m really proud of this team. ... Everything happens for a reason and we will be better because of it."

Brady Tkachuk played his 500th NHL game last season. He plans to build on the playoff run and hopes to lift the Stanley Cup soon.