Austin Konenski
The Ottawa Senators have Brady Tkachuk under contract for two more seasons, and trade rumors are heating up. Tkachuk’s future with Ottawa is questionable, despite the captain’s recent comments about the trade rumors. With the 26-year-old forward in the headlines, the Senators’ plans for a potential trade have been revealed.
Ottawa won’t trade Tkachuk until it is backed into a corner and forced to move him, as reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the Oilers Now podcast. This could come to fruition if Tkachuk told the Senators that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension. As of now, there are no public indications that Tkachuk will say that to Ottawa’s front office.
The biggest comparison to Tkachuk is defenseman Quinn Hughes. In December 2025, the Vancouver Canucks traded Hughes to the Minnesota Wild for a massive haul. The Wild defenseman told the Canucks that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension with the organization. It created a situation where Vancouver needed to maximize its long-term value with Hughes on the way out.
If it becomes clear that Tkachuk doesn’t plan to sign an extension, the Senators would likely have to trade him. In this scenario, Tkachuk would control his destination, as he has a full no-movement clause in his contract. The Florida Panthers, with his brother, Matthew Tkachuk, have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for quite some time.
Ottawa has to make moves to convince Tkachuk of the organization’s long-term potential. The Senators have struggled in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it is clear that big moves have to be on the horizon. If not, Ottawa risks Tkachuk wanting out, putting the organization in a situation where a trade might be the only answer for everyone involved.
Read More: Brady Tkachuk Trade Rumors: 5 Potential Landing Spots, Including the Panthers
