Coming to you with a late afternoon edition of the Mailbag since we're on the West Coast this week. Today we're diving into Brady Tkachuk and Jacob Bernard-Docker's pregame routines, favourite foods, favourite restaurants and more. Bon appetit!
Janny B.A. from Ottawa, ON
Would love to know what the different pre-game routines are like for the guys (open to all the players, but if I need to narrow it down, Chabby, Norris and Tkaptain, please and thanks!).
First, big fan of referring to Brady by his proper name! I broke down Chabot and Batherson's pregame routine's last week, this week we'll take a deep dive on the Tkaptain's pregame routine.
Brady is always one of, if not the first at the rink arriving at 8am. He doesn't have any specific practice routine that he must follow but he always makes a point to tip pucks after practice. Every game day is the same lunch: salad, chicken parm, sweet potatoes, and asparagus.
After practice he heads home and takes a two hour nap before coming back to the rink, where he is usually one of the first to return around 3:45. Once at the rink he takes a two-minute cold tub before having a quick snack and taping his sticks. From there he gets some stretching in before pre-game meetings and then it's off to play sewer ball and right into his pregame warm up.
Wanda L. from Enfield, NS
What is JBD’s game day prep?
Jacob arrives at the rink at around 4 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game and first thing he does it hits the cold tub for three minutes. From there he goes and tapes his sticks before grabbing a coffee and a snack and hanging out with the guys briefly. Then he's right back in game mode and will hit the bench for some visualization before stretching a going to the pre-game meetings.
Noémie B. from Ottawa, ON
Brady what is your favourite food?
No better way to put it than straight from the horses mouth.
"Emma is a pretty good chef so whatever she's got for the day. She makes some great Italian sandwiches that I will usually crush that after a game day."
Matthew S. from Nepean, ON
What is Brady's pre-game meal?
While I answered this above I'll use it as an opportunity to talk about Jacob Bernard-Docker's pregame meal. JBD is a routine guy as well and on a game day will always have salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli. On a non-gameday he, Jake Sanderson, and Ridly Greig have all gotten into eating chicken thighs with olive oil, some type of pasta, avacado and sweet potato.
Jeremy L. from Ottawa, ON
What are some of the players favourite restaurants around Ottawa?
I spoke about this in a recent mailbag when Thomas Chabot and Drake Batherson gave their takes which you can read here. When I spoke to Brady, he couldn't narrow it down to just one because in his opinion one of the greatest things about Ottawa is that it has such an unbelievable food scene. Jacob Bernard-Docker however was able to narrow down two of his favourites. First, Giovanni's is near the top of the list for him. Additionally, he went to Whalesbone for the first time recently and said he is really big fan.
That's a wrap on today's edition, tune in next week for the first post trade deadline mailbag! Submit your questions here.
