The Ottawa Senators were swept on Saturday by the Hurricanes, bringing a swift end to their 2026 postseason. While the unceremonious exit wasn’t on any one player, the fact that 26-year-old captain Brady Tkachuk was held without a point in four games certainly didn’t help. To add insult to injury, the second the Senators were eliminated, all eyes turned to Tkachuk’s future with the team. In fact, before Game 4 even started, NHL insider David Pagnotta said that Tkachuk could be traded this summer on “Hello Hockey.”
The superstar is two years from the end of his $8.2 million-AAV contract with Ottawa, but just went through a second consecutive first-round exit. In his exit interview with the media on Wednesday, Tkachuk said he’s “been fully committed to this team and city. [The rumors] are becoming a distraction. It’s frustrating to deal with.” But what did we expect him to say? Even Quinn Hughes said he was “excited” to be in Vancouver last September, and we all know how that turned out.
If Tkachuk does hit the open market, could the Blackhawks pounce? Definitely. The entire league is familiar with Chicago’s situation by now—the cupboards are stocked with top draft picks who are at or near the NHL level, but they could use a veteran star or two to play next to Connor Bedard.
Tkachuk could fit that profile perfectly. He’s not the biggest point-scorer in the league, notching 59 in 60 games this year. But he’s one of the best forecheckers in the league and plays a near-perfect all-around game. Playing on Bedard’s wing would allow him to get into the dirty areas of the ice to retrieve pucks and play near the net front, sort of like a better Tyler Bertuzzi, who has found success in the past next to Bedard. Plus, the Blackhawks haven’t made it a secret that they need to add someone who can stick up for his teammates and fight when necessary.
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But could Chicago really snag him? If they’re going to, now might be the best shot. The Senators haven’t said anything about being willing to move Tkachuk, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire. After another postseason ended in disappointing fashion for Ottawa, they might be interested in switching things up. Plus, the Senators might be interested in regrouping under the salary cap—they’re paying Tim Stutzle $8.35 million, Dylan Cozens $7.1 million, and Shane Pinto $7.5 million every year until 2030 and Jake Sanderson $8.05 million until 2032. Offloading Tkachuk’s contract could give them some much-needed freedom in the short term. The 26-year-old would have to waive his no-move clause, but there are plenty of believers in the Blackhawks’ rebuild out there, and the goal in Chicago is a playoff berth next season. He could certainly be interested in playing a role in that.
If the Blackhawks are going to get Tkachuk, they’ll probably have to pay a king’s ransom—but they’re the team best positioned to do just that. They’ll have to re-sign Bedard this summer, but have over $40 million to work with, and could certainly afford his salary without making Ottawa retain anything. Their prospect pool could come in handy—youngsters like Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, and Oliver Moore would certainly be available without costing the Blackhawks too much. Of course, those players in the pipeline won’t be nearly enough, so it’s a good thing that Chicago has three picks in the second round this year and three first-rounders next year. The Blackhawks don’t have a ton of use for more prospects, so it’s time to flip them into a player like Tkachuk. Work the phone!
