The Ottawa Senators traded captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers on Sunday, uniting him with his brother Matthew, who is already on the Panthers’ roster.

Both clubs announced the trade, which sends to Ottawa Florida’s two first-round picks in Friday’s draft. Those include the No. 9 overall selection and the No. 25 pick, which Florida acquired from the Seattle Kraken earlier Sunday in exchange for Mackie Samoskevich.

In addition, the Senators receive a 2029 first-round pick that is top-10 protected and a 2027 second-round pick.

Florida general manager Bill Zito said in a news release, “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.”

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Zito added, “We’re thrilled to welcome Brady to South Florida to join our group as we continue our pursuit of championship hockey.”

The move surprised many around the league. There had been uncertainty about whether Brady Tkachuk, who is under contract until 2028, would be available for trade this summer. Both Tkachuk and the Senators had stated he remained committed to the team and he repeated that message as recently as April, following Ottawa’s season-ending press availability.

According to sources, the Senators talked with several teams about Brady Tkachuk, 26, in recent weeks. The forward had input on the decision through his no-trade clause.

It reportedly became clear during the season that Tkachuk was interested in a change of scenery. After his return from the Olympics, where he and Team USA won gold, the situation grew more complicated as the Americans went on a victory tour.

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Ottawa general manager Steve Staios said in a statement, “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.”

Staios continued, “We now possess cap space and draft capital and will be actively working to improve our roster.”

The Senators had made the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round in each of the past two seasons. Tkachuk is currently in the middle of a seven-year deal carrying an $8.2 million cap hit.

Zito continues to act on the belief that Florida’s competitive window is open now. His previous major move came in July 2022, when he sent a large package to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk.

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Matthew, now 28, has helped lead the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final in each of his first three seasons with the franchise.

Zito was also a member of the Team USA management group at the 2026 Milan Olympics, where the Tkachuk brothers played key roles in helping the United States win gold.

The brothers have maintained a close relationship and launched a podcast together last season.

The Panthers missed the playoffs this year after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. They are anticipated to recover with captain Aleksander Barkov set to return from his right knee surgery that caused him to miss the 2025-26 season.

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