Senators' Brady Tkachuk Sounds Off on NHL Trade Rumors, 'It's Just Getting Frustrating'

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk expressed frustration with trade rumors attached to his name following his team's first-round sweep by the Carolina Hurricanes.

"I feel like I've answered this hundreds of times that none of that— I feel like I've never shown, I've never said, none of those things ever came out of my mouth," Tkachuk said Wednesday during his end-of-season press conference. "Quite honestly, it's just getting frustrating. It's become a distraction.

"I have been fully committed to this team, to this city, and it's just becoming a distraction, frustrating to deal with."

Tkachuk has spent eight seasons with the Senators, including five as team captain. He is signed at an $8.2 million AAV through the 2027-28 season and is not eligible for an extension until next summer.

"It's frustrating to have to answer to something that has never been spoken out of my mouth, hasn't been spoken from the team's mouth," Tkachuk said Wednesday. "But I feel like I have to consistently answer to it."

Tkachuk continued, "I've said it, I don't even know, I feel like 100 times at this point... I've always believed in this team. I've always believed playing for this city, and this city has always been good to me. I don't really know what else to say other than what I've said countless times."

This is not the first time this season Tkachuk has been asked about trade rumors this season. He also fielded a question about them after captaining Team USA to gold over Canada at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

"That's not even something that's crossed my mind," Tkachuk said in February, per TSN's Claire Hanna. "I love playing for this team, I love the guys in this room, I really believe in what we're all about and that thought has never crossed my mind."

Tkachuk posted 22 goals and 37 assists for 59 points in 60 games this regular season as the Senators' second-line left winger.

He was held without a point and finished with a minus-4 rating in four straight postseason losses to the Carolina Hurricanes, who never trailed in the series on their way to outscoring the Senators by a total of 11-5.

Saturday's Game 4 loss extended the Senators' playoff series win drought to nine years.

Despite back-to-back trips to the first round, the Sens has not advanced past the first round since Erik Karlsson led the team to the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals.

Tkachuk, who has seen his brother Matthew Tkachuk win consecutive Stanley Cups with the Florida Panthers in the same timespan his franchise has won two playoff games, was asked what he would need to see from the Sens in order to sign another deal when eligible next offseason.

"For me, it's just talk to [general manager Steve Staios], when have that conversation of... where he views our team, what he thinks we need to improve on and what I need to improve on, myself, not just as a player but as a captain, and stuff like that," Tkachuk answered.

Whether the Senators are able to build on consecutive playoff berths and advance past the first round next spring could shape how Tkachuk views his chances of contending for a Cup should he sign another long-term deal in Ottawa.