The Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers completed a blockbuster trade on Sunday night. Ottawa sent its captain, Brady Tkachuk, to Florida for the 9th overall and 25th overall pick from the 2026 NHL Draft, along with a 2029 first-round pick and a 2030 second-round pick. This gives the Senators ammunition to reshape their party, and apparently, that's what they will do.
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As General Manager Steve Staios said in a statement following the trade, they have room to improve the roster now.
“This was not a decision we took lightly, but in the end we did what we thought was best for the future of our hockey team,” said Staios. “Now we have more space and money to spend and we will work hard to improve our program.”
As reported, the Ottawa Senators are looking to reshape their defense. Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff wonders if they can trade their pick for Rasmus Ristolainen. Ristolainen has been linked to the Senators since before the trade deadline.
It will be interesting to see if OTT responds to any of the 1 they just received. We know they've been interested in Ristolainen for a while and another 1 would be a good start to negotiations.
It will be interesting what happens.
— Anthony Di Marco (@ADiMarco25) June 21, 2026
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However, defense is not the only area the Senators are looking to improve. According to Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, Steve Staios is expected to make a run at Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars via trade or the offer sheet route.
Things are very fluid, and there's plenty of time for Dallas to explore its options, but sources say Ottawa is pressing heavily on Jason Robertson. If a trade can't be worked out and he lands on July 1 as an RFA, the Senators can present him with a significant offer sheet.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 21, 2026
However, it's not like Robertson wants to go to Ottawa, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic on the latest CJ Show. Would the Senators want to take a shot at Robertson and risk losing another American player? Going in the other direction makes sense.
According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa Senators may make a run at Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks. In addition, the Senators held talks with St. Louis Blues about Jordan Kyrou. Garroich also suggested that they revisit trades with the Pittsburgh Penguins regarding Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. The goal is to find quarterback Tim Stutzle.
Regardless, the Senators have the capital and assets to make a big move in the draft. Their 9th and 25th overall picks are in play. Ottawa can't rebuild, given the players they have and the type of age they are.
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