SUNRISE, Fla. — Father’s Day proved to be a busy day across the Florida Panthers organization.
It began with Florida acquiring Tampa Bay’s first-round selection (previously acquired by Seattle) and a 2027 second-round selection (previously acquired by Seattle) from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Mackie Samoskevich.
It ended with the Panthers finalizing a trade for forward Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for three first-round draft picks and one second-round pick, allowing him to team up with his brother Matthew in Sunrise.
Ottawa receives Florida’s 2026 first-round pick (No. 9 overall), Tampa Bay’s 2026 first-round pick (No. 25 overall, previously acquired from Seattle by Florida), Florida’s 2027 second-round pick, and Florida’s 2029 first-round pick, which is top-10 protected.
“Brady is a dynamic competitor and one of the most physical and relentless forwards in the league,” Panthers President of Hockey Operations and general manager Bill Zito said Sunday.
“A proven leader and exactly the type of player we want in our locker room, he strives to make everyone around him better, both on and off the ice. We’re thrilled to welcome Brady to South Florida to join our group as we continue our pursuit of championship hockey,” Zito added.
Originally drafted by Ottawa in the first round (No. 4 overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Tkachuk, 26, played in 60 games last season with the Senators, recording 22 goals and 37 assists.
On the international stage, Brady, alongside Matthew, helped lead the United States to a gold medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina.
The 2025-26 season was one to forget for the Panthers, a season defined by injuries to key players - notably captain Aleksander Barkov - and missing the playoffs for the first time in the Paul Maurice era.
According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, “Tkachuk and the Senators had insisted that he was committed to the team, and he reiterated that sentiment as recently as April, when Ottawa’s season ended.”
“This was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately, we did what we felt was best for the long-term future of our hockey club,” Ottawa general manager Steve Staios said in a press release.
Zito brought Matthew to Sunrise in a stunning trade in July 2022 from the Calgary Flames, and he guided the Panthers to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
When the 2026-27 season opens in October, the Panthers will aim for their third Stanley Cup in five seasons.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
