Brady Tkachuk has left the station, and Ottawa has some picks to show for it.

So far what the Senators will do with the return is a subject of speculation:

Ottawa Senators are going big-game hunting on NHL’s trade market
Senators need to make a deal
Ottawa CitizenBruce Garrioch

But certainly informed speculation:

They're on the clock because the only good part of the return is the ninth overall in this draft. Draft picks are junk, usually, and Florida certainly considered them to be worth tossing away. They'd only had the 25th overall for a few hours:

The 2029 first-round pick is top-10 protected. This is, to put it bluntly, a large pile of one-dollar bills rolled up to look like an impressive stash by covering it with a fifty.

I feel somewhat sorry for the Senators fans, most of whom are likely unsurprised that their Captain has bolted. I want to say he made a run for the border, well, I guess I have, because he did. I don't feel sorry for the Senators management because I don't think they're very bright. But we're all sitting here in Leafs land having some fun imagining other ingredients in the new Leafs salad bowl after the signing of Darren Raddysh, but we also should be aware that Auston Matthews is not signing an extension to his contract any time soon. If ever.

Hard not to think they waited a year to long to light the fuse on his rocket ship out of town.

I've seen another report that they tried for Anton Lundell and were turned down.

Why Senators traded Brady Tkachuk to Panthers
Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman

In other late June action, Bobby McMann signed a deal that is not all that surprising given cap inflation, but people don't want to account for inflation. They just want to complain about the prices. Well, that was me in the grocery store on Saturday, so who am I to judge? I wouldn't have wanted McMann at this price or term mostly because he is a very one-dimensional player whose early good defensive results now look a little like team system under Sheldon Keefe results. His shot is legit, though.

A better deal:

With the expansion process officially over, the PWHL has moved into open signing.

Toronto added Jamie Lee Rattray, and has lost Elaine Chuli to New York and Kristen Della Rovere to San Jose. They currently have eight signed players and several they own exclusive rights to.

Today is the announcement of who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this fall. As for what else might happen? Anything is possible. Only John Chayka knows how probable it is.

From The Branches