Senators' deal unites Brady Tkachuk with brother on Panthers - ESPN

The Ottawa Senators on Sunday traded captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers, who already have his brother, Matthew, on the roster.

The trade, which both clubs announced, includes Ottawa landing both of the Panthers' first-round picks in Friday's draft — the No. 9 choice and the No. 25 selection Florida that was acquired from the Seattle Kraken for Mackie Samoskevich earlier Sunday — as well as a 2029 first-round pick, which is top-10 protected, and a 2027 second-round pick.

«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,» Florida general manager Bill Zito said in a news release. «We're thrilled to welcome Brady to South Florida to join our group as we continue our pursuit of championship hockey.»

It was a shocking move as many around the league were unsure whether Brady Tkachuk, who is under contract until 2028, would be available for a trade this summer. Tkachuk and the Senators had insisted that he was committed to the team, and he reiterated that sentiment as recently as April, when Ottawa's season ended.

However, sources said the Senators had talks with a handful of teams about Brady Tkachuk, 26, over the past few weeks, and the captain had a say over the situation because of his no-trade clause. During the season, it became clear to Senators management that Tkachuk was looking for a change of scenery. After his return from the Olympics, and as Tkachuk and the gold-medal-winning Americans went on a victory tour, it became a tricky situation for the Senators.

«This was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately,