Brady Tkachuk is heading south to join his big brother, Matthew, in Sunrise after the Florida Panthers acquired the Ottawa Senators captain for three first-round picks and a second-rounder in a stunning trade that sent shock waves across the NHL on Sunday.
After acquiring the 25th overall pick in Friday’s draft by sending restriced free agent Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken earlier in the day, Florida’s general manager extraordinaire Bill Zito bundled that pick with the selection the first-rounder the Cats already possessed (9th 7overall) as well as a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to make the deal.
The 26-year-old Tkachuk has two seasons remaining on a seven-year, $57.5 million contract he signed with the Senators in 2021.
Tkachuk produced 22 goals and 59 points in 60 regular-season games for Ottawa this past season. He did not have a point in four Stanley Cup Playoff games, when the Senators got swept by the Stanley Cup-champion Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
In 572 NHL games, Tkachuk has 213 goals and 463 points, including a career-high 37 goals and 74 points in 2023-24.
The Tkachuk brothers, who won Olympic gold in Italy, are expected to play on the same line together, with fellow super pest Sam Bennett centering.