The Ottawa Senators came into the 2026 off-season as a team that could make significant noise, and on Sunday, their first massive move officially came through, shocking the entire hockey world.
Ottawa Senators Deal captain Brady Tkachuk
GettyBrady Tkachuk with the Ottawa Senators.
After plenty of speculation surrounding captain Brady Tkachuk, the Senators pulled the trigger on their captain, officially dealing him to the Florida Panthers to join his brother Matthew.
While it wasn’t always going to be Florida, given how connected Tkachuk is to the US and the constant speculation over him trying to force his way south, the Senators got ahead of the potential drama and dealt him. According to reports, this came after Brady informed the team he would not sign a long-term deal when his current contract is up, and as a result, the team acquired the No. 9 and 25 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, along with a first and a second in future drafts.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the constant chatter about Tkachuk’s future became a constant annoyance in the Senators locker room, and with the assets they landed in return, it was a great move for both organizations.
Steve Staios Explains the Brady Tkachuk Trade
The move was an incredibly aggressive one, and given what Tkachuk has meant to the Senators over the past eight years, it’s a move that people constantly expected but were still shocked by on Sunday. After the deal, General Manager Steve Staios explained the move, stating that this entire move was simply made in the best long-term interest of the Ottawa Senators.
“This was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately we did what we felt was best for the long-term future of our hockey club,” Staos said. “We now possess cap space and draft capital and will be actively working to improve our roster.”
Given that Tkachuk had two years remaining on his deal, the Senators were not forced into making a deal here, but with the team looking to build a core that wants to be in Ottawa for the long-term, it made sense to get the value out of him when they could. As for that value, it was two significant draft picks in the 2026 NHL Draft along with two future picks, and with the newly acquired salary cap space, they can now afford to be very aggressive over the next few weeks and months.
Whether that means a move up in the first-round to acquire a potential star immediately, a trade for the likes of Jason Robertson or even a free agency push for a player like Alex Tuch, this trade has given the Senators the capital and the cap space to get aggressive ahead of the 2026/27 season. Ultimately, the most important part of this deal for the Senators will be what they now do with all of their new assets, and with the team looking to be aggressive under Staios, this statement about the Tkachuk deal shows that he has a plan for the team moving forward.
Steve Staios Reveals why the Ottawa Senators Dealt Captain Brady Tkachuk