NHL trade rumors were circulating earlier this offseason that the Ottawa Senators are wanting to sign Brady Tkachuk to a long-term deal. The offer is believed to be $8 million/ year on an eight-year deal.
Darren Dreger was on Toronto’s local radio station TSN 1050 and he stated, the two sides haven’t been able to come to an agreement over the structure of the deal. He wondered if at some point the talks may turn to a bridge deal like the one Tkachuk’s brother Matthew Tkachuk signed with the Calgary Flames in 2019.
Dreger went on to say, Tkachuk’s camp is looking for bonus money and the Senators don’t want to go that route. The Sens do not have the cash flow like the Toronto Maple Leafs to offer up a front loaded bonus money contract.
The middle ground between the two sides could be a shorter-term bridge deal. There is also still the very slim possibility that Brady could receive an offer sheet.
Offer sheet? Next summer? If the latter is a bridge deal now while he is currently signed under his entry level deal, how is an offer sheet a threat?