Florida Panthers Make Big Move, Acquire Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa Senators

The Florida Panthers kicked off a busy week ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft with a pair of impactful trades, making a statement on Father’s Day that captured the attention of the hockey world.

In their first move, the Panthers traded young forward Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken, receiving a 2026 first-round pick, which is the 25th overall, along with a conditional second-round pick for 2027. The condition stipulates that Florida will obtain either Columbus’ or Winnipeg’s second-rounder, depending on which selection turns out to be higher.

This trade leaves the Panthers with an impressive haul of two first-round picks and two second-round picks heading into this week’s draft. This is particularly noteworthy for a franchise that recently celebrated back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2024 and 2025, while still maintaining a roster filled with talent under long-term, favorable contracts.

With this fresh influx of draft capital, Panthers General Manager Bill Zito made a bold move by acquiring Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. In a blockbuster deal, Florida sent both of their 2025 first-round picks, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2030 second-round pick to Ottawa in exchange for Tkachuk, as first reported by Pierre LeBrun.

Brady Tkachuk, who is under contract through the 2027-28 season with an average annual value of $8.2 million, will now join his older brother Matthew in South Florida. The Tkachuk brothers have been gradually experiencing what it feels like to be teammates, beginning with their shared time at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in Sunrise. Their collaboration continued at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025, and they capped it off by helping the United States secure gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

With both Tkachuks on board, the Panthers’ roster continues to showcase an impressive array of talent, including stars like Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Gus Forsling, Aaron Ekblad, Carter Verhaeghe, Seth Jones, and Anton Lundell.

Following the trade, Florida boasts 13 forwards and six defensemen under contract for the upcoming season, not counting players like Sandis Vilmanis, Marek Alscher, or Jack Devine, who played in the NHL last season and are on two-way deals. The addition of Brady Tkachuk leaves the Panthers with just over $7 million in cap space for next season, according to PuckPedia.

As the Panthers prepare for the draft, they still need to secure two NHL goaltenders and consider any additional depth pieces to enhance their lineup. The NHL Draft is set for this Friday and Saturday in Buffalo, with the new league year and the onset of free agency following closely on July 1.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.