NY Rangers Face Astronomical Asking Price for Brady Tkachuk

A hypothetical trade package to acquire Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators will be incredibly high for the New York Rangers.

Mar 9, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk (7) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks in the third period at Rogers Arena. / Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have made their intentions pretty clear when it comes to their game plan on how they are going to improve their roster this offseason.

Owning a top-five pick in the 2026 NHL Draft is certainly a great place to start. They have the third-best odds of landing the No. 1 pick in the lottery and cannot drop below No. 5, meaning a high-level prospect will be added to the mix.

After that, they will be on the lookout for a top-six forward to elevate the team to another level. There are a lot of intriguing young pieces who can help fill out the bottom six, but the Rangers desperately need a needle-mover.

One such player who could fit the bill is Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators. Trade rumors are already swirling around him, and he has not been shy about voicing his frustrations over it. Alas, until a long-term agreement is finalized, those rumors will persist.

What would Rangers have to trade to acquire Brady Tkachuk?

Apr 9, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) gets in position for a face off in the first period against the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre. / Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

The Rangers are one of the clubs that are expected to pursue him should he become available. However, the asking price to pry Tkachuk away from the Senators is going to be astronomical, in the opinion of Vincent Z. Mercagliano of The Athletic (subscription required).

It would require multiple players and draft picks to get Ottawa to the negotiating table to part ways with their captain, starting with Alexis Lafreniere.

The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft hasn’t quite lived up to expectations as a first overall pick, but he ended the 2025-26 season on a high note. He recorded at least one point in four out of the last five games, ending the season with 57 points.

That ties his single-season career high, while the 33 assists he had were the most in a season. His 24 goals scored were the second most. Arguably, the best attribute he brings to the table is durability, missing only four games in his career and playing in all 82 games three consecutive seasons and counting.

Brady Tkachuk: High-energy forward with physical presence and leadership skills. Strong on the puck, but needs to improve defensive consistency and discipline to avoid penalties.https://t.co/wb82muOdub pic.twitter.com/SnbxKhKipU

— HockeyIceStorm (@HockeyIceStorm) May 3, 2026

Along with Lafreniere, a first-round pick and other roster pieces or prospects would need to be included. Mercagliano even hypothesizes that for New York to really have a chance, they might have to part with their top-five pick in this year’s draft.

Acquiring a player who will be only 27 years old when the 2026-27 season begins seems like an obvious thing to do. However, that is an incredibly steep price to pay for any player and there will be competition for him. 

The Rangers front office may love what Tkachuk brings to the ice as a player, but it would be fair to question if he is worth that asking price, given the current state of the franchise and how many other needs exist.