The noise surrounding Brady Tkachuk is getting louder and louder, and for the first time, the idea of the Ottawa Senators captain being traded no longer feels impossible.
After another disappointing playoff exit, questions are mounting about Ottawa’s future, while the Dallas Stars continue to emerge as one of the most serious teams connected to the growing speculation.
Dallas Stars Emerge in Growing Brady Tkachuk Trade Buzz
After Ottawa’s four-game playoff exit against the Carolina Hurricanes, doubts once again surfaced about whether the current core is capable of becoming a true contender. Much of the spotlight quickly shifted to Tkachuk, who finished the series without recording a point and posted a minus-4 rating.
For a player billed as the face of the franchise, those struggles only added fuel to the trade speculation. NHL insider Jeff Marek believes the rumors shouldn’t be dismissed.
According to Marek, there would be no shortage of interested teams if Senators GM Steve Staios ever made Tkachuk available. But he specifically pointed to Dallas as a team that could aggressively pursue him.
“Brady Tkachuk did say that all the trade rumors are becoming a distraction to him. I don’t think it’s a guarantee that he stays. I really don’t. Now that doesn’t mean that it happens tomorrow or at the draft or in the summer or even all of next season,” Marek said.
Part of that belief stems from the Tkachuk family’s approach to contract negotiations and career decisions. Marek recalled conversations about Brady’s previous contract talks, during which his brother Matthew Tkachuk and the family were heavily involved. He suggested Brady understands exactly how strong his market value would be across the league.
Dallas, meanwhile, continues to stand out as a logical fit. “Dallas tried to get Matthew Tkachuk. They didn’t have the assets that Florida had, and I’m pretty sure Jim Nill would move heaven and earth to try to bring in someone like Brady Tkachuk, which might just be exactly what Dallas needs to get over the hump,” Marek said.
The appeal is obvious. Dallas has been searching for more physicality, emotion, and edge in its top-six forward group, and Brady Tkachuk would instantly check all of those boxes. Combined with the Stars’ deep prospect pool and trade assets, they remain one of the few teams capable of putting together a realistic blockbuster offer.
Jason Robertson’s contract extension is also on the table in Dallas, but if Jim Nill feels like the number’s too high, dealing Robertson to Ottawa could be a possibility, in what would be a move reminiscent of when the Florida Panthers shipped Jonathan Huberdeau off to the Calgary Flames to bring Matthew Tkachuk to town.
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For now, Ottawa has given no indication that it plans to move its captain. But after another disappointing playoff exit, the speculation surrounding Brady Tkachuk and a possible fit with Dallas is only getting louder.
