After being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in Round One of the Stanley Cup playoffs, speculation has already begun regarding Brady Tkachuk‘s future with the Ottawa Senators. Tkachuk is one year away from being eligible for an extension, and the Senators may look to capitalize before it’s too late.
Tkachuk, 26, is a known commodity at this point. Outside of this season, he has remained healthy over his entire career, despite playing a notorious crash-and-bang style of hockey. He’s become a consistent top-six scorer over the last five years, to boot, registering 153 goals and 338 points in 374 games, averaging 18:26 of ice time.
Additionally, as mentioned, he does what many top-six wingers fail to do: embrace the physicality of the game. Averaging 3.36 hits per game since debuting in the 2018-19 season, Tkachuk has never shied away from the fight, always looking for a way to give his team an edge wherever he can.
Still, like many of his teammates, Tkachuk was a ghost against the Hurricanes. It was a much different performance than last postseason, when Tkachuk tallied four goals and seven points in six games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, totalling 30 hits. This spring, he went scoreless in the series sweep with a -4 rating, finishing with 13 hits.
Although it was a second consecutive year that Ottawa made the postseason, many feel that the team took a step back, and with good reason. Due to inconsistent goaltending, the Senators finished one win short of last season and did not demonstrate much, if any, competitiveness in the playoffs.
That’s not to say it’s Tkachuk’s fault, but he is billed as the heart and soul of the team, which the organization showed very little of against Carolina. Furthermore, if he is unhappy in Canada’s capital and has his heart set on returning to the United States, it would make some sense for the Senators to trade him this offseason in an attempt to shake up the locker room and avoid losing him for nothing in a few years.
Regardless, it’s not something Ottawa necessarily needs to think about right now. Tkachuk is signed through the 2027-28 season, and it’s hard to imagine Tkachuk’s trade stock radically changing, especially if he’s willing to negotiate an extension with any interested club. He also has a full no-movement clause in his contract, which began this season, so the terms will be dictated by him, anyway.
Now it’s time for you to take the crystal ball. Will the Senators move on from Tkachuk this offseason to jump-start the team, or will they pursue other changes, like a coaching hire or other roster-related moves in the meantime before deciding on Tkachuk’s future after next season? Vote below!
Will Brady Tkachuk Be On The Senators Next Season?
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No 61% (759)
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Yes 39% (492)
Total votes: 1,251
Imagine Tom Wilson and Brady Tkachuk on the same team. Ouch.
Great coaches like Rod Brind’Amour have answers for guys like Tkachuk in playoff series, Quenneville the same, Shutting down McDavid in the Ducks playoff series.
Is that right? Barkov took them to school. I dont think shutting down Brady is the same as shutting down McDavid either. But yes I largely agree Rod is a good coach and great coaches are able to scheme a way to shut down the opposing teams best player
I just wish they can get Brind’Amour a superstar. Such a good coach getting wasted with the lack of high end talent on his team
You mean like Rantanen?
I’m predicting he’ll be with the mammoth next year. Going the other way Gabe Smith, peterka,
Simashev, and either a 1st or Beudoin.
Double everything that isn’t Peterka, and you might have a chance.
Brady also needs to waive his NTC, to go to Utah? Probably not his first choice.
@Life. I believe he’s from Arizona so not too far from home. Also I believe it’s a no tax state. Plus they have a good up and coming team with lots of youth. I’d say playing in Utah is better than Ottawa….
When the dust settles, this might end up being a 50-50 split. It didn’t help matters that Walt Jr. #2’s infamous statement of “This will be a long series” turned out to be a “waste of 8 days”, instead. Maybe to him it was a long series. Some will blame Travis, which is understandable, but to me it doesn’t seem like this team is on the same page, which is borne out in the players’ post-game responses, both regular season and postseason.
i kinda disagree, all the games were close Tkachuk and Stutzle didn’t show up but the rest of the team seemingly did especially Batherson and Cozens
@Rick Jeanneret Fan Club – While the games were close, I never had the feeling that Carolina was not in control, and Ottawa was in a slog-fest. That, and the constant carping that Dean & Gord had to do, exposing the crap-calling by referee incompetence types. You’re right about the big guns being MIA. The best players need to be their best, and then some, when facing a stronger opponent. Unfortunately, for the Sens, that didn’t happen, and now some are headed for the beach, with others trying to navigate the rough on the 4th hole.
#NYR
We don’t want him (but we may need him).
He’s not going to want to go to the Rangers. The Rangers are just starting their rebuild and the Hawks are pretty much done with theirs. He’s not going to want to go that far back to where he won’t be contending, For years maybe. And you can forget about him playing in Fla. They don’t have the Cap Space or the assets to get him.
At 26 and armed with a bevy of top prospects and future first and second round picks the Hawks should be all over this situation. Tkachuck would be the one thing the Hawks really don’t have a physical C or wing who is a net front presence and general ornery and angry man. If they truly want to move on (And I have my doubts), It should be Kyle Davidson on line 1.
In fact I’ll go a step further. I say if the lottery goes bad for the Hawks and they don’t get 1 or 2, I’d even include this years pick in the deal. McKenna or Stenberg’s familiarity with Frondell might be hard to pass up but if it’s 3 or worse( Not sure how low it could go) Give me Tkachuck all day long along with a few other pieces from the Hawks. Then the Hawks would have their Captain, And depending on what position they want him to play and who they would play him with physicality they don’t have. Since the Hawks have first round picks that aren’t theirs it wouldn’t matter as much. Nazar, Commesso, Moore, Boisvert, Basically anybody but Bedard or Frondell, Knight or a Defenseman could be an option.
Brady will stay East. Hawks are not even on the radar!
At 26 he’ll go where the money is and the Hawks have tons of it with more to come with Burakovsky, Ryan Ellis and maybe Teuvo coming off after this year saving another 18 million or so. The Hawks can pay anybody and 26 is young enough to start over. So I doubt that East- West makes a difference to him. He’s already been in Ottawa. Siberia might seem an improvement.
Lowest they can go is 4 in the lottery.
if the Hawks get the number 3 im ok with taking Chase Reid and getting another great top RHD especially if Levshunov doesn’t pan out
So, You’d rather have some future defenseman or Tkachuck? I’ll take Tkachuck all day long.
Unless the Hawks can develop a Defensemen.. doesn’t matter which forwards they have on the team, they aint winning
Really? And you know this because you are making it up?
He lives in Jersey, close to NYR, NYI, NJ and even Philly. Philly would be the better fit with their brand of scumbag hockey. (thanks Biz!) NYR has probably the most ties to Brady. But will Brady want to join Matty???? But leave no doubt, it will be up to Brady!
Scumbag hockey? Thanks for the compliment lol. I’d still like to see Captain America here in Philly, but Brady would work too.
NJD for Mercer, Silayev and pick. Gets to play with Hughes (who can then move to wing). Team is ready to win if they can find some scoring.
If he leaves its to play with his brother on a motivated Panthers team
He sure would look good in a Blues jersey.
If Brady Tkachuk is made available from Ottawa then I would say, the New York Rangers are going to be the front runners for him. New York’s management has been itching to get Brady in the big apple for a while now. That’s not to say other teams won’t be interested but the New York connection has been going on for a few years now, and I think, if the opportunity presents itself, New York is going to go balls to the walls in getting him more then anyone else.
his… brother… plays.. in…. ft. lauderdale… with… no.. income tax…. its 85 degrees here in january lol
Not sure he wants that direct comparison. He’ll never be able step out of his shadow if he’s on the same team…
@jeremyn – Brady isn’t heading to South Florida. Florida would have to give up 2 (or possibly 3) of their core players (which would probably be Anton Lundell & Eetu Luostarinen) plus, numerous draft picks to even be remotely considered.
Florida has bigger issues than trying to get the other Tkachuk brother. Their goalie situation is dire & options are bleak. The negotiations with Sergei Bobrovsky are reportedly going bad. There is much questions about their overall health & the list goes on. Brady is a pipe dream for Florida.
While it may seem like a stretch that they could actually get him i think youre right on here and do have the guns if they put Perrault or LaFeriene on the table which u figure they will but may end up in the overpay range
you doubt bill zito? really? lol
@jeremyn – it’s not about believing a GM or not lol. It’s about the actuality and perceptibly of the circumstances, situations, and ramifications as you’re obviously not looking at things in a proper perspective but in a fantasy scope that’s not a palpable sensibility.
God bless you in your attempt to be another Wilf. Spouting all kinds of bad news out of south Florida. Of course your hatred of the Panthers and allegiance to the Lightning have nothing to do with it. Please keep posting!
From a completely non-biased angle. That said, congrats on jamming actuality, perceptibly, circumstances, situations, ramifications, perspective, palpable, and sensibility into your run-on sentence. An impressive attempt at winning the most-vowels-of-the-day competition.
@Doghockey – It’s amusing how you present yourself as self-righteous and superior on these forums, yet your primary activity seems to be criticizing the thoughts and opinions of others. Ironically, you appear to lack genuine opinions or valid ideas of your own, relying instead on empty attacks without substance. Your behavior reflects that of a spineless individual hiding behind a keyboard, unwilling or unable to demonstrate the courage or intelligence required to express a coherent stance on any topic. Ultimately, you embody arrogance without substance—a hollow figure irrelevant to meaningful discourse.
He learned that from watching The View.
I’ve noticed you get into pissing contests with literally everyone (including myself a year ago) …. think hard on that @Feelthethunder
@jeremyn – LOL! No, I don’t. It’s only a few individuals who just like to start sh*t with me. Ironically, it’s the same trolls that start sh*t with everyone else. But with the narcissistic arrogance you have on these boards, I’m not surprised by your gross ignorant remark.
I’m not a troll.. I barely even post on the hockey TR…. you had the exact same issues with me.. when you believe its “everyone but me”.. its usually you brother
personally i dont think Brady is done in Ottawa he does seem committed to the team and loves the city, getting swept always does leave a sour taste but Ottawa does have a bright future ahead in the near future and Yakmechuk looking like a future top 4 on an already stacked D Core
(scritches his head) How does one figure that they need to ditch — and likely sell low on — their captain and leader because he had a bad four-game stretch?
There has been drama going on since the olympics
As a Flyers fan would Michkov and Luchanko to the Sens for Brady get it done?
It would probably take Martone plus plus for them
So who’s going to escape Canada first? Tkachuk, McDavid, Or, Matthews?
McDavid should requesting a trade if he is elimated in the first round.
Schenn is gone. The Blues are looking for a new captain. His parents live here. He grew up here. It makes a lot of sense.
I think the Flyers would have a better offer. Unless the Blues would do a Robert Thomas for Brady swap. I don’t think a mix or match of a Snuggerud, Dvorsky. Carbonneau Jiricek, or First Rounder would be as enticing as Michkov or for that matter on top of the Leafs First Rounder which will be in the top 10.
Thomas and Kyrou for Brady and Pinto would be a more balanced trade.
And completely nuts. The object for both teams would be to add the best guys in that trade for the same team. Trading Thomas for Tkachuck is just switching names to switch names. Accomplishes zero.
So Brady set the fans and the media straight today, Its the fans (that hate Americans) and the Media that are saying this crap, not Brady.
They will drive him outta town like they did Marner (one of their own) outta Trono.