2026 NHL Offseason Thread: Major trade makes it easier to record podcasts for Tkachuk brothers

[sutterfamily]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh

[sutterfamily]

Okay well, the positive news is that I can now hate Brady as much as everyone else.

The rest is pretty bleak. It's not that trading him is bad on its own but, while the value *might* be fine it really sets them back. They needed to add a couple players, not subtract one of their best ones. The 9 OA is the only likely decent piece - are they planning to use it on a pick or trade it?

I guess there are scenarios where they can turn this into a positive move for next season but I feel like that's pretty unlikely.

[sutterfamily]

But like, if the guy wanted out then fuck 'em. I can lose the cognitive dissonance of cheering for him, great. Feels like a bad turn for the franchise's immediate hopes.

[neuartillery]

The return is simultaneously as much as I’d expect (largely thanks to Seattle giving up a lot for Samoskevich) and underwhelming in terms how much it helps now. I don’t know what the SNES would do if they keep the pick — presumably one of Wyatt Cullen (skilled winger, late riser), a defenseman (Daxon Rudolph or Malte Gustafsson being the likely names left), Ethan Belchitz (the closest thing to Brady), Viggo Bjorck (undersized center who did great at the WCs and the one I would’ve taken if the Wings had the pick, but I think he’s off the board by then), or Tynan Lawrence (center with better size but a more frustrating resume). Only Bjorck seems like he could come in this year.

If they keep the picks they’ll have a lot more depth to their prospect pool, but 1. I’m underwhelmed by the scouting reports on guys past 20 or so 2. I don’t know who they’d get for the 25th pick in a trade. Mackie Samoskevich wouldn’t be a dial-mover—I’m sure they were given the option of him and two firsts.

Entirely reasonable to wonder if this takes the SNES out of the playoffs and puts the Panth back in (even without a goalie at the moment). Maybe Florida was already going to be back in with a healthy Barkov, maybe not.

[neuartillery]

Seattle re-upped Bobby McMann for six years / 5.75 per. They’re cornering the market on B/B- forwards. Free agent market gets worse.

[neuartillery]

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Tkachuk, who had a full no-movement clause but clearly wanted out of Ottawa despite his protestations, would only approve a trade to the Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights and perhaps the Minnesota Wild.

There's no way Larkin and Brady weren't comparing notes while fluffing Kash Patel's dong

[sutterfamily]

Entirely reasonable to wonder if this takes the SNES out of the playoffs and puts the Panth back in (even without a goalie at the moment).

I mean... beyond reasonable. They did have a good record in the 20-odd game with him out of the lineup but it would be foolish to take that and project it over an entire season. They were maybe 2-3 players away from competing for the division title and now it's 3-4. Needing two first line wingers instead of one is not ideal!

They do play a good system and one of "the right" ways so they're reasonably well setup to bring the right pieces in now with $25M of cap space BUT they gotta make the moves and I'm not sure who's available that they can realistically get in a non-EA Sports GM scenario.

On 32 Thoughts, they mentioned offer sheet possibilities for Robertson and Benson but... can't see it.

[sutterfamily]

There's no way Larkin and Brady weren't comparing notes while fluffing Kash Patel's dong

It's not even limited to the Team USA guys (although clearly that's A Thing). These are the same 3 teams (plus Carolina, who might be on the list more now ha) that every fucking player with an NMC will accept being traded to. Sometimes guys mix it up and throw in Dallas, Tampa, or LA.

[nick]

There's no way Larkin and Brady weren't comparing notes while fluffing Kash Patel's dong

It's not even limited to the Team USA guys (although clearly that's A Thing). These are the same 3 teams (plus Carolina, who might be on the list more now ha) that every fucking player with an NMC will accept being traded to. Sometimes guys mix it up and throw in Dallas, Tampa, or LA.

I imagine this trade takes Florida off the list of conceivable teams Hellebuyck would be traded to, which is good (because I wouldn't want to see him as a Panther).

Of The List of Teams, Vegas is the only one who needs-needs a goalie it'd seem, but the fishing options in the desert aren't great, so not sure Helle would want to go there.

[neuartillery]

Entirely reasonable to wonder if this takes the SNES out of the playoffs and puts the Panth back in (even without a goalie at the moment).

I mean... beyond reasonable. They did have a good record in the 20-odd game with him out of the lineup but it would be foolish to take that and project it over an entire season. They were maybe 2-3 players away from competing for the division title and now it's 3-4. Needing two first line wingers instead of one is not ideal!

They do play a good system and one of "the right" ways so they're reasonably well setup to bring the right pieces in now with $25M of cap space BUT they gotta make the moves and I'm not sure who's available that they can realistically get in a non-EA Sports GM scenario.

On 32 Thoughts, they mentioned offer sheet possibilities for Robertson and Benson but... can't see it.

I was just listening to a Wings podcast talk about the Brady deal, and they said Ottawa is going hard for Robertson. I wonder if something like this happens:

Dallas: Larkin, maybe some additional piece
Ottawa: Robertson
Detroit: 9th + 25th pick, probably another pick / prospect (from Ottawa?), presumably some cap hit from Dallas

It doesn't feel like there are many places that Larkin's going to go but I think Dallas is on the list. The Wings podcast has floated a Larkin for Robertson trade but I think Detroit should get a current center and/or futures. I'd rather have a package from Utah but who knows if he's willing to sign off there. Also who knows if Robertson extends in either Ottawa or Detroit.

[sutterfamily]

I mean that would be great for Ottawa, gonna pretend it's not possible so that I'm not disappointed when it doesn't happen

[sutterfamily]

NGL it seems like Detroit does the worst in that scenario and I can't imagine Stevie Y letting that happen.

[neuartillery]

Honestly I don't think the valuation of Brady (fewer years of team control, winger) and Larkin (older but center) should be that far off, so maybe it's the package they got for Brady moving on in the deal. Detroit's end definitely feels light if it's two picks and a cap dump. The problem is that all picks / no prospects doesn't help Detroit much, especially if Bjorck is gone by #9 (and it sounds like Calgary wants him).

[neuartillery]

Anyway, sorry that your offseason has also been thrown into depressing disarray. Not a fan of this! I'm particularly dreading if Larkin goes to the Wild for like Stramel, Middleton, and a 1st, and a particularly obnoxious Wild fan on The Athletic spams every comment section with "See, I told you."

[neuartillery]

Chuckled at this comment from Scott Wheeler's piece with scout reports on various guys

Scout 11: Villeneuve is really bad defensively. Sokolovskii is really bad with the puck. I wish you could combine the two.

Very much reinforcing my sense that after 20 or so there's a steep drop-off.

[sutterfamily]

Anyway, sorry that your offseason has also been thrown into depressing disarray. Not a fan of this! I'm particularly dreading if Larkin goes to the Wild for like Stramel, Middleton, and a 1st, and a particularly obnoxious Wild fan on The Athletic spams every comment section with "See, I told you."

at least it's more interesting? i guess the question I can cope myself with is: was Brady good enough to lead them to a cup? Probably not - also, you're subtracting nearly constant distractions (esp as the season went on).

[neuartillery]

A main point of discussion on that Wings podcast was how ridiculous Brady's "How dare you question my commitment to being here from my comments with my dad and brother on our podcast about how they want me to come to Florida" routine was in hindsight.

In terms of "Were we ever going to win the Cup with him," the Wings version of that was already "Do we need to move Larkin and reset our timeline for Raymond/Seider" but Detroit didn't even get to enjoy a couple of first-round exits before that happened. And now those people are like "Should we also trade Raymond and Seider?"

[sutterfamily]

Yeah someone on my beer league team chat was asking me if I thought the SNES should trade Sanderson now and, like, no? Same thing goes for Det, I think. You have Seider and Raymond/Sanderson and Stutzle locked in on remarkably similar bucks/term for the next 5/6 seasons. Try to build around that first foremost. Tanking only works if you win the lottery in the right years.

[neuartillery]

It seemed like both teams were in a similar boat heading into the offseason -- need a top-six winger, probably need a top-four defender -- and those problems still exist, on top of the newly created Larkin / Brady holes in the lineup. Insomuch as it's a lot easier to get a winger than a center, I think the SNES should be able to adjust on the fly a bit easier.

As for tanking, the Wings couldn't win the lottery when they didn't have Seider / Raymond / Edvinsson / Gibson / DeBrincat and I don't see how they'd win it now. Landon Dupont seems like the real deal but I don't think they're anywhere close to Vancouver-level bad, so they'd just end up getting the ninth pick again.

[sutterfamily]

I guess Brady ASKED for a trade, good times.