It appears Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is not on the trade block this offseason.
Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios pushed back on rumors that the Senators could be interested in moving the 24-year-old, stating that the team is actively trying to build around him.
"Complete B.S.,'' Staios said on Monday, via The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "We are building this team around Brady. His leadership and unique skill set are rare. There is absolutely no validity to it.''
The rumors surfaced when Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic said that he believes the forward is "probably available" during an appearance on The Opening Drive on ESPN St. Louis.
Tkachuk just finished his sixth season for the Senators and scored 37 goals and 37 assists in 81 games. His 74 points led Ottawa, who went 37-41-4 and finished seventh in the Atlantic Division. This was the seventh consecutive season in which the Senators missed out on the postseason.
Some of the struggles for Ottawa can be attributed to issues in the net. Joonas Korpisalo, Anton Forsberg and Mads Søgard had a combined save percentage of .888 and a goals against average of 3.30.
This is something that a trade could address, as goaltenders like Linus Ullmark, Jussi Saros and Jacob Markstrom could all be available in the offseason. While Tkachuk's trade value is likely bigger, the Senators could have pursued a hefty package for him that allowed the team to build depth around players like Tim Stüzle and Jake Sanderson.
Instead, it looks like Ottawa will keep Tkachuk in the fold and look to deal others in an attempt to solidify any holes on the team.
