Ottawa declines

How about removing Boucher and the pick? Calgary gets two young players who just about cover Tkachuk's goal total and a young defender. Ottawa gets a premier forward who can play either wing who might sign long term to play with his brother.

The Senators would not do Batherson for Tkachuk 1 for 1. Let alone add in multiple assets.

Dorion has publicly stated that Batherson was their best player last year. The just gave Josh Norris an 8M AAV contract, and they think Batherson is better. Batherson is an 8M+ AAV player who is signed for 5M for the next five seasons.

Even if Tkachuk is the more valuable player on the ice, Batherson @ 5M is more valuable than Tkachuk @ 10M+.

The only way the Senators are getting Matthew Tkachuk is if it is a rental at the deadline. In which case, he will cost a 1st ++. They cannot fit him in long term without moving Debrincat, Norris, or Stutzle. He also likely wants to sign the biggest deal possible, which won't work for Ottawa. The Tkachuks have a reputation for squeezing out every last dollar. Unless he has an ideal team in mind, or unless a team comes to him with a ridiculous extension, I do not think he will sign an extension as part of a trade. He will sign his 1 year QO and cash in next season.

Calgary likely won't even get the Debrincat package for Tkachuk. Anything is possible, but teams rarely get anything close to full value when moving a player who is walking to free agency. They will get a 1st and a prospect. Or, they will get a star player with 2-3 years of term and fall back on that swap like Columbus did when no good offers materialized for Dubois. Tkachuk to Toronto for Nylander makes so much sense. Not that I'd want to see it happen.