The Ottawa Senators could use an essential change in their locker rooms. They've been rebuilding for the better part of the last ten years, and now that their core is reaching maturity, they are not getting it done. The son of legendary NHLer Keith Tkachuk (Current Director of Recruitment for the Blues) has been captaining the Senators for the last three years and established himself as a steady 30 goalscorer (2021-22: 30, 2022-23: 35, 2023-24: 37).
On 101 ESPN Sports Talk St. Louis earlier, Blues insider Jeremy Rutherford dropped a bombshell on the Sens and revealed that they've now been entertaining calls for their captain, the feisty Brady Tkachuk. Rutherford's intel suggests that the Senators were coming around to the idea of trading their captain to change their whole group chemistry and culture.
He wouldn't be the first Tkachuk to end up in a blockbuster deal, his brother Mattthew Tkachuk asked for a trade out of Calgary two years ago. The older Tkachuk wanted a significant change of scenery and ended up leaving for Florida in a trade that notably involved Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar.
Brady will turn 25 in September; he's under contract for four more years at a $8.205M AAV. Scored 37 goals and assisted on just as many while sitting in the penalty box for 134 minutes. A player of his stature, who hits, scores, assists and plays the challenging game with a reasonable contract with term, will not go for a few picks. Matthew was traded for a top-four right-handed defenseman in Mackenzie Weegar, an MVP nominee in Jonathan Huberdeau, a prospect and a first-round draft pick.
If the Sens end up trading their captain away, how big do you think the haul will be? Should the Canucks at least inquire? The Tkachuks have shared their displeasure with Canadian markets in the past. Should that stop any of those teams from trading for him?
