Senators owner says that Brady Tkachuk's brother and father forced trade out of Ottawa

Brady Tkachuk’s departure from the Ottawa Senators was already one of the biggest stories of the 2026 NHL offseason, but a new report is adding another layer to the stunning split.

Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers in June after spending the first eight seasons of his NHL career in Ottawa. The 26-year-old had served as the Senators’ captain for five seasons and appeared to be firmly established as the face of the franchise. Yet after Ottawa’s first-round playoff exit, Tkachuk requested a trade and ultimately used his no-movement clause to steer the process toward Florida.

The obvious attraction was his brother, Matthew Tkachuk.

Matthew has become one of the central figures in Florida after joining the Panthers in 2022, helping them reach three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and win championships in 2024 and 2025. Brady and Matthew also played together for Team USA at the 2026 Olympics, winning gold in what Brady described as an incredible experience.

Now, reports surrounding the circumstances of Brady's departure are putting even more attention on the role his family may have played in his decision.

The Athletic's latest reporting, published Tuesday, examines the relationship between Tkachuk and Senators owner Michael Andlauer and the circumstances that ultimately led to the trade. While it is important not to present speculation as fact, the broader picture suggests that Brady's decision was not made in isolation.

“Blood is thicker than water, and let’s just say that his father and his brother got in his kitchen,” Andlauer said to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun today, referring to soon-to-be-inducted Hall of Famer Keith Tkachuk and Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, though Brady has denied that playing with his brother was why he requested a trade. “Ultimately the decision was made to go and play with his brother. It’s a decision that was out of our control to a certain degree. But you have to want to play for Ottawa. And right to the end, our fans were behind Brady — even after Team USA won gold. I have no doubt in my mind.”

Matthew and Brady had already been openly discussing hockey, their experiences and the Senators on their "Wingmen" podcast. Their father, Keith Tkachuk, also appeared on the podcast and publicly questioned how Ottawa was using Brady during the 2025-26 season. Keith criticized his son's ice time, while Matthew questioned why Brady appeared to receive more responsibility with Team USA than he did with Ottawa.

Those comments became another source of tension surrounding the Senators.

At the time, Ottawa coach Travis Green brushed aside the criticism, but the fact that Brady's father and brother were publicly discussing his role undoubtedly added another element to an already complicated situation.

And there was a particularly interesting development after the trade. According to NHL.com, Senators GM Steve Staios said Tkachuk's trade request came after the season and that the list of teams he would consider eventually pointed toward one destination: Florida.

That distinction matters.

There is no evidence that Matthew or Keith forced Brady out of Ottawa. Brady ultimately made the decision himself. In fact, he had publicly pushed back against trade speculation as recently as April, saying he remained committed to Ottawa and was frustrated that the rumors had become a distraction.

But the family connection to Florida was impossible to ignore.

Keith and his wife have a home in Florida and have regularly attended Panthers games, while Matthew had already established himself as one of the organization's leaders. Brady also had existing relationships within the Florida organization through USA Hockey.

For Brady, the opportunity was therefore about much more than simply changing teams.

It was a chance to play alongside his brother, compete for a Stanley Cup with an established contender and move closer to family.

Brady himself has since described the decision to leave Ottawa as extremely difficult. He spent eight years with the Senators, became their captain and built deep relationships within the organization and city. But he has also made it clear that joining Matthew in Florida was something he viewed as a dream scenario.

The result is one of the more unusual NHL family stories in recent memory.

A franchise captain who once appeared destined to remain in Ottawa long term ultimately requested a trade, controlled where he would go and ended up playing for the same organization as his brother.

Whether Keith and Matthew actively encouraged that decision is something only the Tkachuk family truly knows.

What is clear is that family was a major part of the equation — and with the brothers now sharing a Panthers locker room, Ottawa's decision to move on from Brady Tkachuk has officially closed one of the most significant chapters in Senators history.