Amidst the Jacob Trouba drama out of New York, whispers of Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk’s availability have become louder.
Rumors and speculation are usually akin to an unhealthy snack: momentary indulgence, but ultimately, empty calories. However, where there is smoke, there is usually fire, and Tkachuk can’t seem to shake off the blanket of gray clouds. IF there is truth to Ottawa’s potential willingness to move Tkachuk, Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake should make the rugged winger his top priority in terms of acquisitions.
Tkachuk is 25 years old, already an established NHL captain, and the type of player every NHL GM covets. He is fearless, physical and willing to go to any length to win a hockey game.
A true power forward, Tkachuk has actual “snarl” – something falsely advertised with Pierre-Luc Dubois – and can completely alter the identity of a hockey team by simply existing on it. The best part? He backs all of it up with high-end offensive output.
In 2022-23, Tkachuk had a coming out party at age 23. He scored 35 goals, collected 48 assists, and racked up 126 penalty minutes. He followed that up with a 37-goal, 74-point season in 2023-24 and is on pace to match or exceed those numbers this season. More than half of his 378 career points have come on the power play, where he has been a net-front nightmare for opposing teams since debuting in the NHL.
But that’s not all. Tkachuk has also managed to develop into a strong two-way player, trusted in most situations:
What would the return be for such a prized player? Probably as much as the highest bidder is willing to pay, meaning his value is open-ended.
What can the Kings offer? Likely a package that someone can beat. For starters (as a fun exercise), and just to get a conversation going with Ottawa, one of LA’s three goaltending prospects (George, Slukynsky, Portillo), Jordan Spence, one of Fiala or Moore, and a 1st round pick would have to be in play. From there, Ottawa would likely shift their focus to one of Brandt Clarke or Quinton Byfield, which would make things very tricky for the Kings. The base deal is a solid one, but without Clarke or Byfield, Ottawa likely gets a better package elsewhere.
I’m not suggesting that the Kings should entertain the idea of moving Clarke or Byfield. I’m merely suggesting that if there were a player to make them hypothetically consider it, Brady Tkachuk just might be the guy.