Part 2 of a week long series that will breakdown the different forwards the Capitals may try and acquire via trade this summer. Yesterday, I highlighted Dallas Stars Jason Robertson. Today we will look at Brdy Tkachuk
The Rules: I will focus on skilled forwards who can play in the top six for any team makes the list. I will keep to player sunder 30 years old since the Capitals are trying to get younger. Cole Hutson, Ilya Protas, and Ryan Leonard are untouchable, in my opinion, so I will not include them in any trade proposals.
Brady Tkachuk
Brady Tkachuk is one of the premiere power forwards in the NHL and the Captain of the Ottawa Senators. He is the son of former NHLer Ketih Tkachuk, and his brother, Matthew, plays for Florida Panthers. Brady has scored 30 or more goals three times, and one season with 29. He plays a heavy, physical game, and gets under the skin of other teams. Ottawa made the playoffs the last two seasons after a seven-year hiatus largely due to Tkachuk’s play. He is a leader, brings toughness and scoring to the lineup and is a leader. Tkachuk is the kind of player that other teams hate playing against but would love to have. He turns in 27 years old in September.
Tkachuk was drafted fourth overall by Ottawa in 2018 and has averaged .81 points per game over eight NHL seasons. He has scored 213 goals and 250 assists for 463 career points, has averaged 20 power play points the last four seasons. He tilts the ice in toward the Ottawa zone with his career 59.3 Corsi, which is in the upper percentile of forwards in the NHL. He is signed for three more seasons at just over $8.2 million per season, and the Caps have the cap space to fit him. He is a force on the ice and would add another player to the Capitals lineup that would force other teams to keep their heads on a swivel.
Why He Might be Available
Drama. Brady’s dad Keith Tkachuk made some comments on a podcast near the end of the season that suggested Brady may want to move on. Brady dismissed this as nothing and focused on the first round series against, Carolina. The elder Tkachuk made similar waves a few years ago when son Matthew was playing for Calgary. Matthew ended up being traded to the Panthers not long later. Ottawa may not be able to keep Brady if he follows the same playbook as brother Matthew. I imagine plenty of teams would scramble to make an offer for him. When compared to what players will get on the open market in salary, he is kind of a bargain.
Why The Caps Won’t Deal for Him
Brady Tkachuk would definitely be an upgrade to their top six, but the Caps already have Tom Wilson. Do they need another player like him? The Caps have more pressing needs, like a pass-first center or winger that can get the puck to the open man. Brady would certainly make the Capitals better on the power play and would make the Capitals really tough to play against. But with the off ice drama and their other needs, I doubt he is the player the Capitals will go after.
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