Steve Staios speaks out as Brady Tkachuk trade talk heats up
Steve Staios called the Brady Tkachuk trade rumours nonsense Monday. The Senators GM didn't soften it or dance around the question. He went straight at the noise.
"It's nonsense is what it is," Staios said. "It depends on what link and what fan base it's coming from. I don't read it, I don't bother with it. We know what we have internally."
Strong words. The kind a GM uses when he wants the conversation shut down. The trouble is, the conversation isn't his to close.
Brady Tkachuk had no points across four playoff games against Carolina. He went minus-4 in that series. Ottawa was swept and now Tkachuk's name is everywhere.
David Pagnotta named potential destinations on Hello Hockey. Utah. Seattle. St. Louis. Others potentially circling. That's not noise from a fan account.
Watch the Staios clip. The GM keeps it tight and refuses to add anything beyond the line about not reading the speculation.
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Brady Tkachuk's playoff disappearance fuels the trade chatter
The 26-year-old captain carries a $8,205,714 cap hit and is supposed to be the face of this franchise. Instead the lasting image of his spring is four games, no points, and an early flight home.
His regular season was solid. Tkachuk posted 22 goals and 59 points across 60 games and finished plus-4. The numbers held up. Then the playoffs started and they didn't.
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That gap is the whole reason this rumour mill is running. Top-paid power forwards on Canadian teams don't get a quiet summer after going pointless in a sweep.
Travis Green's club finished 44-27-11 in the regular season for 99 points and ninth overall. They earned the dance and got embarrassed at it. The captain isn't off-limits.
The teams Pagnotta named all have something in common. They're rebuilding or building, with cap room and a need for a star to hand the franchise to.
That's exactly the kind of profile that fits a 26-year-old with size, skill, and a long contract.
Whether Ottawa actually moves him is a different question. Staios has the right to call it nonsense today. The list of suitors doesn't care what the GM reads on his phone.
The summer in Ottawa is going to be busy. Tkachuk's name is staying in the conversation whether the front office wants it there or not.
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APRIL 27, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Sidney Crosby | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Rasmus Ristolainen | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Alex Bump | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ian Cole | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Connor Dewar | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Pavel Dorofeyev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kristopher Letang | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Travis Sanheim | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nick Schmaltz | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cole Smith | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Elmer Soderblom | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Noah Cates | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lawson Crouse | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Sean Durzi | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Noah Hanifin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Travis Konecny | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Blake Lizotte | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||