A blockbuster trade hit the NHL world on Father’s Day with the Ottawa Senators sending Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for a bundle of draft picks, including both of Florida’s first-round picks in this week’s draft. The former Ottawa captain joins his brother Matthew in Florida.

While the trade itself isn’t all that surprising, the timing of the move was never quite clear. Tkachuk has two years remaining on his seven-year, $57.5 million contract, so it wasn’t inevitable that Tkachuk would be moved this summer. But at some point, Ottawa got the message from Tkachuk and his agent.

In recent weeks, Tkachuk’s agent, Craig Oster of Newport Sports, had conversations with Senators general manager Steven Staios about the captain’s future. At some point, it was conveyed that Tkachuk wouldn’t look to re-sign with the team when his contract expires in 2028, and that the Senators should get ahead on trading their captain, according to The Athletic.

It’s a similar sentiment to the one conveyed to the Vancouver Canucks when they traded captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in December. Had the Sens waited too long, they might’ve put themselves in a situation similar to the one the Rangers faced with Artemi Panarin, who began the 2025-26 season on the final year of his contract. The Rangers sent Panarin, who had a no-move clause, to the Los Angeles Kings in February for a lackluster return of prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 third-rounder.

Oster presented four teams where Tkachuk would consider accepting a trade: the Panthers, the Wild, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, per The Athletic. Florida has one thing that the other three teams, while all very attractive destinations, cannot replicate, and that’s the presence of Matthew Tkachuk.

By making a move early, the Senators eliminate the possibility of locker-room distraction and potential turmoil surrounding their captain, and they develop for the future or have assets to play with in the trade market with multiple picks.

Tkachuk gets to play with his brother on a team that will surely be back in contention and leaves Canada, where he was booed in Edmonton and Calgary every time he touched the puck after returning from the Milan Olympics.

Tkachuk’s move is just the start of what is sure to be a busy summer around the NHL.