NHL Expert Drops Bold Brady Tkachuk Prediction After 4 Nations Face-Off

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk might soon be on his way out of Canada’s capital and the Florida Panthers could already be exploring ways to trade for and reunite him with his older brother Matthew.

NHL insider Andy Strickland, speaking on Thursday’s episode of “The Cam & Strick Podcast,” speculated that Tkachuk’s departure from Ottawa feels inevitable.

Strickland compared his situation to that of his older brother, Matthew, who forced a trade from the Calgary Flames to the Florida Panthers in 2022, and the insider sees a path for both players to be reunited in Florida down the road.

“For a guy like Brady Tkachuk, who will leave Ottawa eventually… it’s only a matter of time,” Strickland said. “He has no-move clauses kicking in, and this is gonna play out exactly like it did for Matthew. Like, he’s gonna get traded to where he wants to go.”

Strickland further suggested that the Panthers are already positioning themselves for a future move, recognizing the chemistry Brady and Matthew displayed throughout the 4 Nations Face-Off with Team USA.

“Can Florida find a way? Can they find a way to sign him?” co-host Cam Janssen asked.

“I think they can. I think that’s already their mindset. I think they’re already thinking, ‘How do we get Brady here?'” Strickland said. “You watch this (4 Nations Face-Off) tournament—how could you not want Matthew and Brady on the same team?”

The brothers combined for six points with three apiece, Brady scoring three goals and Matthew scoring two goals as well as providing an assist.

Brady, 25, has 21 goals and 44 points in 56 games this season and remains under contract with Ottawa at a cap-friendly $8.2 million per season through the 2027/28 season.

Matthew, 27, has racked up 57 points in 52 games for the Panthers this year splitting those points into 22 goals and 35 assists. He’s earning $9.5 million per season on the third season of an eight-year, $76 million contract.

The Senators are still in the playoff race, currently in possession of the second wild-card berth with 62 points and just two points behind the Detroit Red Wings (64) for the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Strickland, however, believes a trade is a matter of “when, not if.” While no formal talks have been reported between the Senators and the Panthers, the Florida-based team could be looking at long-term cap strategies to land Brady and pair him with Matthew.

For now, Ottawa controls the situation, but with the younger Tkachuk’s no-move clause kicking in on July 1, the power and leverage will soon shift to Brady’s side—just as it did with Matthew two years ago.