The Ottawa Senators on Sunday traded captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers, who already have his brother, Matthew, on the roster.
The trade, which both clubs announced, includes Ottawa landing both of the Panthers' first-round picks in Friday's draft -- the No. 9 choice and the No. 25 selection Florida that was acquired from the Seattle Kraken for Mackie Samoskevich earlier Sunday -- as well as a 2029 first-round pick, which is top-10 protected, and a 2027 second-round pick.
"Brady is a dynamic competitor and one of the most physical and relentless forwards in the league. A proven leader and exactly the type of player we want in our locker room, he strives to make everyone around him better both on and off the ice," Florida general manager Bill Zito said in a news release. "We're thrilled to welcome Brady to South Florida to join our group as we continue our pursuit of championship hockey."
It was a shocking move as many around the league were unsure whether Brady Tkachuk, who is under contract until 2028, would be available for a trade this summer. Tkachuk and the Senators had insisted that he was committed to the team, and he reiterated that sentiment as recently as April, when Ottawa's season ended.
However, sources said the Senators had talks with a handful of teams about Brady Tkachuk, 26, over the past few weeks, and the captain had a say over the situation because of his no-trade clause. During the season, it became clear to Senators management that Tkachuk was looking for a change of scenery. After his return from the Olympics, and as Tkachuk and the gold-medal-winning Americans went on a victory tour, it became a tricky situation for the 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," Ottawa general manager Steve Staios said in a news release. "We now possess cap space and draft capital and will be actively working to improve our roster."
Ottawa made the playoffs but lost in the first round in each of the past two seasons. Brady Tkachuk is in the middle of a seven-year deal that carries an $8.2 million cap hit.
Zito continues to operate with the belief that the team's window to compete is now. It was also a bold move when Zito traded a massive haul to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk in July 2022. Matthew, now 28, helped lead Florida to the Stanley Cup Final in each of his first three seasons.
Zito was on the management staff for Team USA at the 2026 Milan Olympics when the Tkachuk brothers helped the United States win gold. The Tkachuk brothers are extremely close and launched a podcast together last season.
The Panthers missed the playoffs this season after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. They are expected to rebound, especially with captain Aleksander Barkov healthy after missing the 2025-26 season because of right knee surgery.