NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2026
More conjecture about the future of Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, and the latest on the Kings in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST SENATORS SPECULATION
SPORTSNET: Wayne Scanlan believes the trade rumors dogging power forward Brady Tkachuk will keep swirling until contract extension talks begin with the Ottawa Senators.
The Senators captain has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $8.205 million. He also has a full no-movement clause.
Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).
Tkachuk has been the subject of trade rumors since last year, which he dismissed as lies. The conjecture increased following the Olympic break.
Senators general manager Steve Staios called the rumors “nonsense.” Nevertheless, some observers believe Tkachuk could be traded during the offseason.
The earliest the Senators and Tkachuk can discuss a contract extension is next July. Until then, Scanlan expects the speculation will continue.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t believe Tkachuk hates playing in Ottawa or doesn’t care about the Senators. If either case were true, he would’ve forced a trade a long time ago. Watching his postgame reaction to the Senators’ elimination from this postseason, it’s obvious that Tkachuk wants to lead this team on a Stanley Cup run.
With two years left on his contract, Tkachuk isn’t going anywhere this summer unless he tells Staios he wants out, which doesn’t seem likely. However, if the Senators fail to improve next season, he could decide that he has a better chance of winning the Cup elsewhere. If that’s the case, Staios will have to move him for the best return possible rather than lose him for nothing to free agency in 2028.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports Staios intends to go shopping for a reliable backup goaltender this summer.
With the league eliminating the emergency backup rule, the Senators can carry three NHL goalies on their roster next season. Staios also didn’t rule out the possibility of bringing back James Reimer as a third goalie.
WHAT CHANGES COULD BE COMING FOR THE KINGS?
MAYOR’S MANOR: John Hoven examined what could be in store for the Los Angeles Kings during the offseason.
Hoven expects team president Luc Robitaille and general manager Ken Holland to return in their respective roles. A roster rebuild isn’t likely to occur, but tinkering around the edges isn’t good enough. They must also decide who their new head coach will be. Hoven indicated that it will not be former Vegas Golden Knights bench boss Bruce Cassidy or David Carle of the University of Denver.
If a contract extension with long-time defenseman Drew Doughty isn’t feasible, it may be time for the two sides to move on. Hoven also believes their defense corps cannot return in its current form. Mikey Anderson, Brandt Clarke, and Cody Ceci seem the least likely to be moved, leaving Doughty, Brian Dumoulin, and Joel Edmundson as the trio to talk about, with two of them having to go.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: At this stage of Doughty’s career, he must accept a short-term offer worth considerably less than the $11 million AAV he’s currently making. Trading him would mean retaining a healthy chunk of that cap hit, while his seven-team trade list is another obstacle.
Dumoulin and Edmundson are the more likely trade candidates. Dumoulin earns $4 million annually and Edmudson $3.85 million, but they’re under contract for two more years with 10-team no-trade lists. It won’t be easy to find teams willing to take those contracts off their hands.
Despite next season’s salary cap increasing to $104 million, Hoven doesn’t expect the Kings to spend up to that total, given they didn’t spend to this year’s $95 million cap. He also believes it’ll be difficult for the Kings to put together a suitable trade package to acquire a replacement for departing center and team captain Anze Kopitar.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have a projected $85.5 million invested in their roster for 2025-26. If they intend to remain under $95 million, they won’t have much to work with to bolster their roster unless they can shed some salary in the offseason. Their chances of landing a first or second-line center seem bleak.
Hoven believes trading Quinton Byfield creates another hole at center that would have to be filled. They could fill their third-line center role by re-signing Scott Laughton, as there is mutual interest in an extension.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byfield has yet to prove that he’s a reliable first-line center, but the 23-year-old will get his chance next season. The Kings aren’t moving him unless they’re getting a player of equal or better value in return.
R.I.P. John Garrett.
Amen there Ron. Loved listening to Mr. Garrett’s take on all things hockey. He’ll be sorely missed.
Have to take into account Tkachuks wife is from NJ and they had a house built there. She just had their 2nd child. Maybe Brady doesn’t hate playing in Ottawa, but Staios needs to have an honest conversation with him on where he sees himself in a couple years. IMO, Ottawa could come out of this a better team.
Numerous “star” or significant players are nearing contract negotiations, not just Brady Tkachuk. And while the others do appear fairly frequently, in terms of pundit (and fan) speculation, there seems to be more of a fixation on Tkachuk. So, you have to wonder if much of this stems from the fact that Ottawa is – in the minds of “the great uninformed” at least – some backwater location to be avoided – or depart from – at all costs?
Just for the record, here are probably THE most significant key players also soon facing contract decisions:
Tampa – Nikita Kucherov – eligible for a an extension as early as July 1 and Darcy Raddysh, a UFA; Florida – Sergei Bobrovsky, a UFA;
Dallas – Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley both needing extensions;
Chicago – Connor Bedard – maybe he’s as fed up with not only losing but also wallowing near the bottom every year … why is he not the focus of at least as much speculation as is Brady Tkachuk?;
Anaheim – Leo Carlsson is nearing a contract situation – if Anaheim gets bounced by Edmonton might he not start to wonder about a change of scenery:
Columbus – and speaking of always a bridesmaid, would Adam Fantilli not get the “itch” to move on?;
Hell, Erik Karlsson’s wife is from Ottawa and he still maintains a home here. So what?
Agree George. Brash is a larger than life character though, so that is probably why the spotlight shines the brightest on him.
I agree with Lyle though that next season will be very important in his decision. If the team does well and can go on a run in the playoffs I believe he resigns. If not, then maybe he considers wanting a change. Next year is also important for the Sens as a few important players come for new contracts, Zub, Batherson, Foegele, Amadio and Kleven. It will be interesting to see how Staois juggles all the moving parts.
Finding money for everyone might be something Tkachuck is interested in seeing too.
Great point about Bedard but because he’s a Canadian (as well as Fantilli) and the people writing this crap are Canadian, whereas Tkachuck, Matthews, etc. where all Americans might have something to do with it. Especially since, if you include Miller in Vancouver, makes it 4 big profile players that asked to be moved from their Canadian teams to an American team.
I guess we forget that “if the Senators fail to improve next season, he could decide that he has a better chance of winning the Cup elsewhere” could be said of any team with a star player seeing his opportunity of winning slipping by wanting to move on. If a late 20s or something year old wants to chase a cup elsewhere with a better chance at winning, who are we to blame them? Especially if they are the types that only want to win and winning is all they want?
George O,the only thing I can think of with Dallas if that they lose to Minnesota,they might want to shake up the core They do potentially have the possibility of putting Seguin on LTIR.LA has to do something significant to fill Kopitars spot.Detroit has to do something major, not to mention the mess in NY and Toronto. Should be an eventful summer.
Seguin should be ready to go next year. He has had ample time to be re-construted…..no?
I haven’t really heard anything on him, has anyone?
But Dallas would have to do something major if Tyler is ready to return.
Robertson would want 14M+ x 8 the way he is lighting them up!!!
Just when it looked like Seguin had finally overcome major hip issues, he suffers a torn ACL and is gone for the rest of this season. He turns 35 in January. I’d say the odds are pretty good that his best value to the Stars will be on LTIR and not on their roster going forward.
And let’s assume Seguin IS able to start next season on opening night. Does anyone truly believe that he will provide anywhere near $9,850,000 value as he approaches his 35th birthday?
That’s pretty nebulous “hope” on which to hang one’s hat!
Harley has been extended at $10.5+M x 8, this may be problematic for the Robo’s new contract!!!!
Those players are not mentioned as those teams are viewed as desirable places to play.
So I guess the answer is to have pro leagues – in all sports – consisting of only “consensus desirable places to play.” Otherwise, what’s the point of having “undesirable” locations, regardless of their size and fan interest?
I think that is true in baseball, nba and the NHL. For whatever reason I don’t see that in football.
I didn’t say I agree with it but it is a fact.
I think the noise around Brady is 2 fold:
He’s an American who is playing in Ottawa and his hockey family has hinted at wanting him in the US market.
He’s approaching Free Agency. Big difference between FA and RFA. So he can simply play out the next 2 years and walk for nothing. Teams don’t want to let big ticket guys walk for free, so if they can’t extend him, gotta get what you can in a trade.
My take on a few of the other guys you mentioned:
Kucherov – my guess is he loves TB and neither he or team have any interest to leave. I can easily see him retiring there.
J Rob – I think he’s the biggest name that could move at the Draft, simply because Dallas can’t really afford him unless Sequin goes on LTIR again (or someone else gets shipped out). He’s an RFA, but supposedly wants Rantanen+ money which will be almost impossible to fit under the cap.
Bedard – RFA and Chicago has enough $ to match, so he’s not going anywhere unless Chicago wants to move him.
Leo and Gauthier – both RFA. Gauthier is offer sheet exempt, Leo is not. But Anahiem also has plenty of money to sign both players.
Fantilli – RFA as well, and Columbus can match.
I knew the status of those players, as well as the ability of the teams to match. That wasn’t my point. Rather, it centers around the mind-set of the players. Bedard or Fantilli, for example, may simply grow weary of always being on the outside looking in.
If that becomes Tkachuk’s mind-set should the team falter again next season – as some are suggesting – why wouldn’t that also apply to the others?
If things could go so badly south for teams like Winnipeg, Toronto and Florida in the space of one season, why couldn’t it happen in Tampa as well? They’re not a “young” team and maybe Kucherov likes being on a winner as much as he likes living in Florida. Who knows?
Gaudreau and Petrie are two Americans who wanted to go back to the US because of Canada’s covid restrictions at the time.
Absent that I struggle to think of an example of a recent US born player who prefers the US (mind, I imagine Canadian teams feature heavily in most NT clauses, but for different reasons).
I understand why the chatter about Brady nettles you George. But what about McDavid? It can’t only be me who thinks he will surely contemplate moving after this season given the unlikelihood of the Oil winning a Cup. And I am not trolling Oiler fans, I say again I’d like to see McDavid win the Cup in Edmonton. Just don’t see it, and IMO McDavid will come to that conclusion as well.
Meaning, I should have specified, it’s star status on a struggling team rather than nationality.
Oh, I agree re McDavid. 100%.
And the chatter bout Tkachuk doesn’t “rattle” me … rather it’s the lack of similar relentless chatter when it comes to some of the others I identify above.
As I’ve said before – many times – if I were a GM my basic philosophy would center around the axiom “what have you done for me lately?” NO ONE would be regarded as untouchable if the return is seen as improving the team overall.
If an offer came in for Tkachuk that meets that criterion I think Staios would do all he could to convince Tkachuk that the move would be in his best interests.
Sentiment has no place in pro sports. Certain elements of the fan base may scream initially if a popular player is moved – vowing “never to return blah blah blah ….” – but they always do. We heard that BS when Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone left. But attendance didn’t dwindle for that reason, but rather a monumentally stupid federal pay scheme called “Phoenix” which led to thousands of public servants (THE primary portion of the fan base in Ottawa) suddenly not getting paid (and some of that STILL lingers years later)!