Elliotte Friedman, speaking on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, indicated that the Ottawa Senators will only consider trading captain Brady Tkachuk if absolutely compelled to do so. Friedman emphasized that the Senators’ management, including Steve Staios and Michael Andlauer, takes immense pride in their team and their market, reacting negatively to persistent trade rumors. He made it clear that trading Tkachuk would not be the team’s decision but rather a situation they would be forced into.
In separate news, Friedman also discussed the future of Jason Robertson with the Dallas Stars on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. With Robertson in the final year of his contract and set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, speculation about his future intensified. However, Friedman believes the Stars are prepared to pay Robertson a significant long-term contract, potentially in the range of Mikko Rantanen’s deal (around $12 million AAV). He suggested that the Stars encouraged Robertson to focus on his play this season, and now that he has performed well, they are likely to reward him with the contract he desires.