The fallout from the Panthers acquiring Brady Tkachuk, the Kraken re-signed Bobby McMann, the Oilers inked Jason Dickinson to an extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators decided to trade Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers after the 26-year-old winger informed them that he wouldn’t re-sign with them. They received three first-round picks and a second-rounder from the Panthers on Sunday.
Tkachuk is under contract through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $8.2 million and a full no-movement clause. The earliest the Senators could’ve signed him to an extension was July 1, 2027. However, he told general manager Steve Staios that he had no plans to sign an extension when the two met last month. Tkachuk publicly denied the trade speculation that swirled around him this year, but privately, he told teammates he wouldn’t be returning after his contract expired.
Ottawa Senators trade Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. (NHL Images).
Staios had been adamant that he wasn’t trading Tkachuk, but his hand was now forced. The winger was willing to waive his NMC for the Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Panthers. However, it was apparent when they explored the market that the Panthers would be the only acceptable destination for the Tkachuk camp, reuniting him with his brother, Matthew Tkachuk.
The Wild reportedly made a hard push, but Zito ultimately made the better offer, sending the Senators assets that could be used as trade chips. Garrioch claimed the Senators tried to get Carter Verhaeghe or Anton Lundell as part of the return, but the Panthers wouldn’t budge.
Staios was seeking a top-six winger, a top-four right-side defenseman and a backup goaltender. Now, he needs to add a suitable replacement for Tkachuk to the mix.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators hold three first-round picks (No. 9, 25, and 32) in the upcoming NHL Draft. He could retain one or more of them, but it wouldn’t be shocking if he uses them to address one or two of his current roster needs, preferably with established players who are in the mid-to-late twenties.
THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus believes the Tkachuk trade is the latest in a trend of players with term remaining on their contracts forcing trades to preferred destinations. That list includes Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, while Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings and Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers recently made trade requests.
Lazerus also pointed out that it’s not about going to no-tax states. First and foremost, the players want to join teams where they believe they have a chance to win. Going to cities where the spotlight isn’t as glaring is another attraction.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lazerus believes the rising salary cap and lack of depth in the free-agent market could lead to more notable stars becoming available in the trade market by leveraging moves to landing spots of their choosing, especially if they have no-trade protection. Most of those moves could involve players on teams struggling to build or maintain a contender.
The addition of Tkachuk gives the Panthers one of the best groups of top-nine forwards in the league.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers’ top nine features Aleksander Barkov centering wingers Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett as the second-line center between the Tkachuk brothers, with Anton Lundell between Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen.
Panthers GM Bill Zito probably isn’t done making moves over the next couple of weeks. He must replace or re-sign goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov. They have over $7 million in cap space, with 19 roster players signed for next season.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: On the same day the Kraken acquired winger Mackie Samoskevich from the Florida Panthers, they announced that winger Bobby McMann has signed a six-year contract with an AAV of $5.75 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken re-signed the 30-year-old McMann because they’re desperate for offense. The late-blooming winger scored 20 goals last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and had a career-high 29 goals in 79 games this season with the Leafs and Kraken, including 10 goals in 18 games with the latter.
Samoskevich was shipped to the Kraken yesterday in exchange for the 25th overall pick in this year’s draft and a conditional second-rounder in 2027. The Panthers used that first-rounder as part of the return to Ottawa for Tkachuk.
The 23-year-old Samoskevich saw checking-line duty with the Panthers, but he could see a larger role with the Kraken. He’s a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract and should be an affordable re-signing. Samoskevich is also a former teammate of Kraken center Matty Beniers at the University of Michigan.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers signed center Jason Dickinson to a five-year contract with an AAV of $4 million. Dickinson, 30, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Oilers acquired him before the March trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jim Matheson of the Journal explained that the Oilers were pleased with Dickinson’s defensive play and how well he fit into their dressing room following his acquisition from the Chicago Blackhawks.
It’s an affordable re-signing by the Oilers for a reliable third-line center. However, Matheson pointed out that they now have $10.6 million remaining with 18 players under contract. It won’t leave much room to re-sign pending UFA blueliner Connor Murphy, find a replacement or a backup for starting goalie Tristan Jarry, and fit in whatever player they get whenever they take action on Darnell Nurse’s trade request.
DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers signed goalie Dylan Garand to a two-year contract worth $875K per season at the NHL level. The first year of the deal is two-way, while the second is one-way.
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The ECHL’s New Mexico Goatheads have hired Zack Stortini as their head coach. Stortini, a former NHL player, spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners.
The Goatheads are the ECHL affiliate of the Avalanche.