George Richards, FHN Publisher
Brady Tkachuk will meet the South Florida media on Tuesday morning for the first time as a member of the Florida Panthers after Sunday’s blockbuster trade in which the now-former Senators captain was reunited with his older brother Matthew.
On Monday, not long before it was announced Keith Tkachuk was finally elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Ottawa general manager Steve Staios confirmed that after meeting with Brady following the end of their season that he made it clear that he would not be staying with the Senators long term.
Initially, Staios said, there was a list of four teams Tkachuk would agree to waive his no-movement clause for.
As the weeks drew on, however, that list had worked its way to just one: The Panthers.
“At the end, I think it’s pretty clear, there was one team,” Staios said at a press conference in Ottawa.
“I feel like I got the best deal the Ottawa Senators could get under the circumstances. Would it have looked different with 31 teams involved? Absolutely.”
Staios also defended his organization and said that the Senators, who have been to the playoffs the past two seasons and are a rising team in a rough Atlantic Division, will continue moving forward.
Tkachuk, Staios said, simply wanted to play with his brother in Sunrise.
Brady Tkachuk joined his family on the ice in Sunrise to celebrate the Stanley Cup with Matthew in 2024 and 2025.
“This is a unique situation,’’ he said, “if you see where he was traded.’’
Florida ended up sending Ottawa three first-round draft picks plus a second for the younger Tkachuk.
The Panthers had No. 9 in the upcoming NHL draft after missing the playoffs and getting their top-10 protected pick which had gone to Chicago in the Spencer Knight/Seth Jones trade, back.
Earlier on Sunday, the Panthers traded Mackie Samoskevich to Seattle for the No. 25 pick in Friday’s draft — and that also went to the Senators. Ottawa also got Florida’s top-10 protected first-round pick in 2029.
Tkachuk, who was the fourth overall pick of the 2018 draft, has two seasons remaining on a seven-year contract with a cap hit of $8.2 million.
He can sign a new contract with the Panthers next summer.
Matthew Tkachuk had one year remaining on his contract with the Calgary Flames when he told them in 2022 it would be in their best interest to get what they could for him since he would not be re-signing with them.
Florida sent its then all-time leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau, top-4 defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt and a first-round pick to the Flames in exchange for Tkachuk.
The Panthers got Schwindt back last season when he was placed on waivers by Vegas.
ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS OFFSEASON
- NHL Draft (No picks in First Round, Six Overall): Friday-Saturday; KeyBank Center, Buffalo
- NHL Free Agency: Opens July 1
- Panthers Development Camp: Late June/Early July; IcePlex, Fort Lauderdale
- Panthers Rookie Camp/Tournament: Late August/Early Sept.; Site TBA
- Panthers Training Camp: Early/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale
- 2026-27 NHL Season Opens: Late September; Site, Opponent TBA