Brady Tkachuk isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
The captain of the Ottawa Senators has made that clear, and after getting his first taste of playoff hockey in the Nation's Capital last season, he's eager to take the next step with the rest of their young core.
Despite that, there will always be speculation about the Scottsdale, Arizona, native fleeing to play in the United States, potentially even with his brother Matthew Tkachuk. The Hughes brothers openly expressing their desire to reunite doesn't help quiet that down either.
While Tkachuk is expected to be a Senator for the foreseeable future, insider Jeff Marek had some interesting things to say on the recent episode of "The Sheet with Jeff Marek," imploring fans to watch out for the Dallas Stars should the heart-and-soul winger ever become available.
"You mentioned Sam Bennett earlier, and I think that's exactly what Jim Nill has been looking for for a long time. Like, he's been looking for either a Sam Bennett or someone like Sam Bennett. I think that if ever, Ottawa Senators fans—I don't think this is happening right now, so just like, everybody calm down. But, if Brady Tkachuk was ever available, I know there's always the noise about the Rangers; Dallas is the team. I think they move heaven and earth for someone like Brady Tkachuk. These types of players is what Dallas is looking for," Marek said.
"If Brady Tkachuk was ever available… I think they’d move heaven and earth"@JeffMarek and @wyshynski break down the Stars’ pursuit of the kind of gritty, high-impact players Jim Nill has always sought, like Sam Bennett and Mathieu Olivier...#TexasHockey #TheSheet pic.twitter.com/BVuB0hBZjI
— The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) September 23, 2025
The 26-year-old has three years remaining on the seven-year, $57,564,958 extension he signed with the Senators back in 2021.
Dallas is always willing to swing big
Expecting Brady Tkachuk to request a trade out of Ottawa is certainly putting the cart before the horse, but if it ever does reach that point, the Dallas Stars will absolutely be in the mix.
General manager Jim Nill has never been shy about making a big move, which we just saw when he acquired Mikko Rantanen at the trade deadline. Combine that with their tremendous drafting ability and consistently strong prospect pool, and you can always count on Dallas to be players in big-name sweepstakes.
While that's all very true, for now, Tkachuk and the Senators will look to build on a strong 2024-25 campaign and further put any of the noise around his future to bed.