Tkachuk Trade Near-Miss
Minnesota Wild almost traded for Brady Tkachuk before Florida Panthers finalized deal
The Minnesota Wild came remarkably close to landing Brady Tkachuk — but in the end, family won out. The Athletic confirmed that the Wild made a "huge" offer to the Ottawa Senators, one that reportedly outpaced other bidders in prospect talent. Despite that, Tkachuk used his no-trade clause to choose the Florida Panthers, where his brother Matthew plays.
The Panthers landed Tkachuk on June 21, 2026, in exchange for four draft picks: three first-rounders and a second-rounder, according to Heavy Sports. Tkachuk, 26, posted 59 points in 60 games during the 2025-26 season and carries an $8.2 million cap hit.
Wild's Offer Was Arguably the Best on the Table
Minnesota GM Bill Guerin put together an aggressive package centered around goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, forward Danila Yurov, and multiple future first-round picks, according to Minnesota Sports Fan. Michael Russo of The Athletic was direct: "Wild made a huge offer, so I think at the end of the day, Brady made the decision to go to Florida."
Guerin had been planning this move for months. At the March 6 trade deadline, he "held his powder" and passed on players like Vincent Trocheck, saving assets for a bigger target, according to The Athletic. Tkachuk was that target. The Wild had roughly $12.7 million in cap space — enough to absorb his contract without sending salary back.
Brady Tkachuk Had Four Teams on His List — Wild Included
In late May 2026, Tkachuk submitted a four-team preferred destination list to Ottawa management. The list included the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Minnesota Wild, according to Heavy Sports. Having a no-trade clause gave him the power to pick his next team outright.
Florida held a major advantage: Matthew Tkachuk. In 2022, Matthew forced a trade from Calgary to Florida via a similar limited list. That move led to back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2024 and 2025. Brady clearly wanted the same experience, according to Sporting News.
Ottawa's Locker Room Collapse Pushed the Trade Along
The Senators weren't just losing Brady Tkachuk — they were relieved to move on. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported: "It was clear to the Sens that Brady Tkachuk didn't want to be here. He had no intention of signing an extension." Tkachuk posted a -4 rating in his final five games as a Senator.
Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports added another layer: teammates in Ottawa were not pushing for Tkachuk to stay. Internal pressure in the locker room reportedly accelerated the front office's decision to trade him, even before a formal request was made.
Minnesota Moves On — but the Sting Lingers
Some analysts argue Guerin may have dodged a bullet. Wallstedt — the goaltender at the center of the Wild's proposed offer — posted a 2.77 GAA in the 2026 playoffs, according to Minnesota Sports Fan. Trading him for a player who never intended to pick Minnesota would have been a costly mistake.
Still, the Wild are now back at square one in their search for a top-six center. Dylan Larkin in Detroit and Robert Thomas in St. Louis are the names now circulating as Minnesota's next targets, per Heavy Sports. Florida, meanwhile, must solve a growing cap puzzle — fitting two Tkachuk brothers under the ceiling will likely force them to trade a veteran piece like Aaron Ekblad or Sam Bennett.
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