As soon as the final horn sounded on the Ottawa Senators' season, the speculation regarding captain Brady Tkachuk’s future went into overdrive.
However, trade rumors involving the 26-year-old aren’t really new. They’ve been out there for a while. The chatter that has picked up some steam is that involving Tkachuk and the St. Louis Blues.
Insider David Pagnotta suggested that the Blues could be a destination for Tkachuk. That makes sense as Tkachuk’s father, Keith, was a longtime member of the Blues. It’s also a known fact that the Tkachuk family maintains close ties with the St. Louis community.
However, Pagnotta went completely bonkers when he suggested that the Senators could flip Tkachuk for Robert Thomas.
“I think the obvious is, hey, why don't you give St. Louis a call and see if you can get Rob Thomas out of there, and swap it out with Brady Tkachuk.”
Now that’s nuts. Sure, it would be nice to add Tkachuk to the Blues’ emerging core. But trading Thomas for Tkachuk would take far more than just a 1-for-1 deal. Unless the Senators were willing to really pay up for Thomas, including Tkachuk as part of the package, well, that might change things a little bit.
Kyrou-for-Tkachuk trade might seem more reasonable
Tkachuk’s trade value has likely hit a low point this postseason. The Carolina Hurricanes held him pointless in the four games they played as part of their first-round series sweep. And it wasn’t likely that Tkachuk made up for his lack of offense with a supreme defensive effort or a major leadership role.
As such, it seems like Tkachuk might need more of a change of scenery than anything else. That’s why heading to St. Louis could be a major benefit.
With that in mind, another Blues player who could use a change of scenery is Jordan Kyrou. A Kyrou-for-Tkachuk swap might actually make more sense for Ottawa, considering how both players could benefit from starting over.
It’s unlikely the Senators would go for such a deal. The club would ideally want to nab a true, top-line center to help them get over the playoff hunt. And if it’s Thomas they want, they’ll have to do more than just offer Brady Tkachuk.
Since the Senators don’t really have high-end prospects or draft picks, it might take a hefty package to make things work.
Who knows? Tkachuk might force the Senators to make a deal this offseason. At that point, sending Kyrou to Ottawa may work. But that’s unlikely. The most feasible outcome will be everyone staying put this summer.
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