Senators Acquire Burakovsky
Senators Acquire Two-Time Cup Winner Andre Burakovsky from Blackhawks for Draft Pick
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Key Points
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Blackhawks could have bought out Burakovsky to reduce his cap hit to $3 million for this season, with a dead cap hit of $1.25 million in 2027-28; Chicago projected about $36 million in cap space next season and needed to reach the cap floor.
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Burakovsky brings a two-time Stanley Cup pedigree (2018 with the Capitals and 2022 with the Avalanche) and previously posted strong production, including 61 goals and 150 points in 191 games for Colorado before joining Chicago.
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His season in Chicago featured a midseason drop in production and durability concerns, including 10 goals and 29 points in 41 games before a sharp decline to 1 goal and 4 points in 34 games after mid-January, with concussion issues noted in November.
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There is a personal and historical angle: Burakovsky is 31, a son of Robert Burakovsky—the first Swedish player to suit up for the Senators in 1993—and he was a first-round-era asset drafted 23rd overall in 2013, with 11 goals and 22 assists in 75 games for Chicago last season.
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Ottawa’s Friday deal came alongside other moves, including their acquisition of goalie Samuel Ersson from Toronto for a fifth-round pick, as part of a broader reshaping of the roster after trading captain Brady Tkachuk.
The Ottawa Senators acquired forward Andre Burakovsky from the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, June 26, in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick. The deal hands Ottawa a two-time Stanley Cup champion and gives Chicago $5.5 million in salary cap relief, according to NHL.com.
The trade is part of a dizzying week of moves in Ottawa. The Senators also traded captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida, added goalie Samuel Ersson from Toronto, and signed defenseman Jordan Spence to a four-year extension — all within five days. Burakovsky is expected to slot into the middle-six forward group as Ottawa pushes to retool for a playoff run.
Burakovsky's Brutal Second Half Forced Chicago's Hand
Burakovsky started the 2025-26 season on a solid note, posting 29 points in his first 41 games. Then a concussion in November derailed everything. From mid-January onward, he managed just 1 goal and 4 points in 34 games, according to Pro Hockey Rumors. He finished the year at 11 goals, 22 assists, and a brutal minus-32 rating across 75 games.
That collapse made Burakovsky's $5.5 million cap hit nearly impossible to justify. Chicago could have bought him out, which would have cost $3 million this year and left a $1.25 million dead cap hit in 2027-28. Instead, GM Kyle Davidson found a trade partner and cleared the entire hit — plus got a draft pick back. The Hockey Writers called it a masterclass in cap management.
Ottawa Bets on Burakovsky's Championship Pedigree
Ottawa GM Steve Staios framed the deal as a cultural win. "Andre adds skill and playmaking ability to our forward group," Staios said. "We are happy to add the pedigree of a two-time Stanley Cup champion," per NHL.com. Burakovsky won the Cup with Washington in 2018 and with Colorado in 2022, where he put up 61 goals and 150 points in 191 games before leaving for Seattle.
Ottawa is betting the decline was mostly due to the concussion. A change of scenery — and a team fighting for the playoffs — could wake up Burakovsky's offense, according to The Hockey News. He is entering the final year of a five-year, $27.5 million deal. If it works, Ottawa extends him. If not, he becomes a trade-deadline chip with two Cup rings.
A Father-Son Story 32 Years in the Making
There is a personal layer to this deal. Andre's father, Robert Burakovsky, was the first Swedish player to ever suit up for the Ottawa Senators, appearing in 23 games during the 1993-94 season. Andre now joins the same franchise, exactly 32 years later, according to The Hockey Writers.
Andre is 31 years old with 771 career games, 164 goals, and 420 points, per NHL.com. He was drafted 23rd overall in 2013. His career arc — from first-round pick to two-time champion to struggling veteran — makes him one of the more fascinating reclamation bets Ottawa has made this offseason.
Chicago Now Sits on $36 Million in Cap Space
By shedding Burakovsky, Chicago projects roughly $36 million in available cap space heading into next season, according to The Hockey Writers. That puts the Blackhawks near the top of the league in room. They still need to spend about $10 million more just to reach the NHL's salary cap floor — the minimum teams must spend.
That space gives GM Kyle Davidson flexibility to build around star prospect Connor Bedard. Names like Mason Marchment have been floated as possible additions, per The Hockey Writers. Meanwhile, Ottawa pairs Burakovsky with newly acquired goalie Samuel Ersson — grabbed from Toronto for a fifth-round pick on the same Friday — as the Senators remake their roster from the inside out, per Sports Yahoo.
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