Ottawa Senators Offer 40% Off Brady Tkachuk Jersey Swaps After 8-Season Exit

Q: Is signing a statistically challenged goalie a savvy gamble or the Senators' biggest offseason mistake?

It looks more like the Senators’ shakiest offseason move than a savvy bet. The goalie in question, Sam Ersson, arrives with major statistical warning signs. He finished last in the NHL in goals saved above expected in 2024-25 and was fifth-worst the season before, while posting an .870 save percentage and 3.12 goals-against average. For a team that says it wants to reduce the burden on Linus Ullmark and stabilize the backup role, those numbers do not suggest a safe solution. What makes the move harder to defend is the asset management. Ottawa reportedly traded for Ersson’s rights and then re-signed him on a two-year deal worth $2.2 million annually, even though there was a belief he may have reached free agency anyway. That has fueled criticism that the Senators paid twice for a reclamation project. There is still a hockey case for the gamble. Steve Staios has said Ottawa’s goaltending staff strongly backed Ersson and believes there is upside in a new environment. At 23, he is young enough to improve, and the Senators clearly did not want to repeat last season’s backup instability behind Ullmark. But based on the evidence available now, this is a high-risk rebound play, not a clearly smart one. If Ersson benefits from Ottawa’s structure and coaching, the move can be salvaged. Until that happens, it stands as one of the offseason’s most questionable decisions, and arguably the biggest if the Senators fail to add more reliable help elsewhere.

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 2

Ottawa launched a "Chuk Out The Old Jersey" promotion that gives fans 40% off new merchandise when they bring in officially licensed Brady Tkachuk jerseys at the Canadian Tire Centre team store.
The offer is narrowly limited to Fanatics-branded jerseys, which only began with the 2024-25 season, excluding many Adidas Tkachuk sweaters bought during most of his eight seasons in Ottawa.
The program follows Tkachuk's move to the Florida Panthers, a departure that has left many Senators fans eager to replace his gear rather than keep wearing it.
Ottawa was otherwise relatively quiet on the opening day of free agency, extending Nick Cousins for 2 years and signing former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson to a 2-year deal.