Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios says the club is not treating the Brady Tkachuk trade as the start of a retreat. Hours after Ottawa sent its captain to the Florida Panthers at his request and received three first-round picks and a future second-round pick, Staios said the team was active, open and intent on moving forward.
Speaking at Canadian Tire Centre, Staios said business had been “robust since the deal happened” and added that this team is moving in the right direction. He went further, saying he had no intention of this team taking a step back. The timing matters because Ottawa now has one of the cleanest combinations of draft capital and room to maneuver in the league, with over $25 million in cap space listed by PuckPedia.
That is why the Jj Peterka search traffic is only one part of the picture. The broader question is what Ottawa does with the assets it just picked up. Among the names being discussed are Mason McTavish, Kyrou and Jason Robertson, all of whom fit a roster that wants immediate help rather than a slow rebuild. McTavish has long been the subject of trade speculation and grew up in Carp, Ont., while Kyrou is a three-time 30-goal scorer who would be asked to play on Tim Stützle’s wing if he ever landed in Ottawa. Robertson brings star power too, with 45 goals and 96 points in 82 games, but he is an RFA in 2026 and arbitration-eligible.
Not every target is equally reachable. McTavish has no trade protection, which makes him easier to imagine in a deal if his club listens. Kyrou’s no-trade clause makes any move more complicated, and Robertson’s reported reluctance to commit long term to Ottawa adds another layer of uncertainty. Staios can talk openly about being active, but the list of players Ottawa can actually get is narrower than the list of names circulating now.
For the Senators, the next move may be more important than the first one. The draft picks from the Brady Tkachuk trade give Ottawa leverage, but leverage only matters if it turns into a player who is willing to come, and a club willing to deal. That is the gap Staios has opened, and the one he now has to close.
