‘Complete B.S.’ Sens GM Steve Staios swats down rumours team is looking to trade Brady Tkachuk – TSN.ca

Steve Staios is setting the record straight on Brady Tkachuk.

The Ottawa Senators‘ president of hockey operations and general manager says there’s no truth to the rumours on social media that the team is looking to trade its star captain.

“Complete B.S.,’’ he told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Monday in The Athletic. “We are building this team around Brady. His leadership and unique skill set are rare.

“There is absolutely no validity to it.’’

Tkachuk was the subject of some trade speculation earlier this season based off a tweet by Spittin’ Chiclets podcaster Ryan Whitney, suggesting the Senators “maybe’’ moving him before the March 8 trade deadline.

“Ah yeah, that could not be further from the truth,’’ Staios told LeBrun on Feb. 28. “I don’t follow on social media. I do get our communications people alert me to things like that. There’s obviously no truth to that. Like, we’re building the team around Brady Tkachuk, and the type of person, the type of player and the type of leader that he is. He means everything to the organization. And he brings it every night along with our core group of players.

“It’s a matter of time and a matter of nurturing this group.”

Tkachuk, 24, scored a career-high 37 goals this season, adding 37 assists for 74 points in 81 games. In 440 career games with Ottawa, he has 162 goals and 349 points.

Tkachuk signed a seven-year, $57.5 million contract with the Senators in October of 2021, with a cap hit of $8.205 million.