FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Brady Tkachuk was officially introduced Tuesday as the newest member of the Florida Panthers, joining his brother, Matthew Tkachuk, after a blockbuster trade with the Ottawa Senators.
The Panthers acquired the 26-year-old on Sunday in a deal that included multiple draft picks, including two first-round selections, bringing one of the NHL’s top power forwards to the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.
Speaking alongside Panthers general manager Bill Zito at Baptist Health IcePlex, Brady Tkachuk said he is excited to join an organization focused solely on winning.
“I think everybody is just knowing it’s just by committee and just talking with Bill, everybody’s a part of the puzzle and everybody, their sole focus is winning and that’s something that I’m just excited to join into,” he said.
Brady Tkachuk spent the first eight seasons of his NHL career with Ottawa, serving as the Senators’ captain. Last season, he recorded 22 goals and 37 assists in 60 games and extended his streak of consecutive 50-point seasons to five.
Zito called Brady Tkachuk “the perfect piece to our puzzle,” adding that the Panthers’ culture is also a perfect fit for the veteran forward’s style of play.
For Brady Tkachuk, the move also carries significant family meaning as he prepares to play alongside his younger brother for the first time in the NHL.
“I guess that became a reality a couple of days ago and it’s still, I don’t think it’s hit the both of us and the fact that we’re going to be together every single day,” he said. “I know we’ve talked about, you know, little routines we’re going to have in the morning about, I know we like to get to the rink, both of us really early, so breakfast, coffee, and hanging out in the morning before guys get there.”
“At the end of the day I know it’s exciting, but I think it’s just for me the excitement to be a part of this whole entire group,” he added.
Tkachuk will wear No. 8 with Florida, a tribute to his father, Keith Tkachuk, who wore the number during his time with the Atlanta Thrashers and was recently elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the star-studded Class of 2026.
He previously wore No. 7 in Ottawa but said he was not going to ask Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to switch numbers.
The jersey was already available for purchase Tuesday at the team store, with fans quickly picking up merchandise featuring the newest member of the Panthers.
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