It’s not often that a 100-point player is available to be acquired, but that was the case this offseason with forward Matthew Tkachuk.
The 24-year-old wing was one of two major losses this offseason for the Flames. After Johnny Gaudreau declined to re-sign and instead walked for nothing in free agency, Tkachuk followed it up by telling the Flames he had no interest in signing a long-term deal to stay in Calgary. He was a restricted free agent, with the Flames still owning his rights.
It forced GM Brad Treliving to try and find a suitable trade partner for the young forward. The interest was not the issue, as many teams were likely calling in order to acquire the budding star who had just recorded a 104-point regular season. However, with Tkachuk letting it be known publicly that he would not re-sign it took leverage away from Treliving.
Or so we thought.
Late in July, it was announced that the Flames would be trading Tkachuk to the Panthers in a package that included wing Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar going the other way. It was quite the haul to give up in order to bring in the power forward, but it was one that Panthers GM Bill Zito felt was necessary.
Now, Tkachuk is in sunny Florida, playing on a Panthers team that has Cup aspirations. The team felt as though last season’s playoff performance was underwhelming, struggling to get by the Capitals in the first round and then suffering a sweep at the hands of the Lightning.
Adding Tkachuk gives Florida not only more sandpaper in the lineup, but a ton of size and skill on a top forward line. The cost was significant, but Tkachuk gives the Panthers an added element to their game that they were missing last season.
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The Sporting News breaks down the Tkachuk trade to the Panthers.
Matthew Tkachuk trade details
- Panthers get: F Matthew Tkachuk, 2025 conditional fourth-round draft pick
- Flames get: F Jonathan Huberdeau, D MacKenzie Weegar, F Cole Schwindt, 2025 conditional first-round pick
The blockbuster trade shocked the entire hockey world, as you rarely ever see 100-point players get traded, let alone two in the same deal. In order to acquire Tkachuk, the Panthers had to give up pending free agents Huberdeau and Weegar, along with prospect Cole Schwindt and a first-round pick.
Huberdeau was coming off a 115-point season and was in the final year of his deal. While there were reports Florida was looking to re-sign him, he instead was part of the trade to bring in Tkachuk. The same goes for Weegar, who was also set to be a free agent in 2023, however, it is unclear if the Panthers would have been able to extend him.
Both teams benefit from the trade now and in the near future. Weegar and Huberdeau are both older (Weegar is 28, Huberdeau is 29) and signed until their mid-30s with the Flames while the Panthers get a much younger Tkachuk signed at the same length.
Matthew Tkachuk contract details
Tkachuk signed an eight-year, $76 million maximum contract at the time of the trade. It was actually the Flames that signed him to the deal, then he was traded to the Panthers.
The deal is already in effect with the 2022-23 season being the first year of the contract. It carries an AAV of $9.5 million, making Tkachuk one of the top 25 highest-paid players in the league this season.
After this season, there is a no-movement clause for five seasons and a modified no-trade clause in the final two years. Tkachuk will become a free agent in 2030.
Matthew Tkachuk stats
Tkachuk is off to a strong start in his first year with the Panthers. He’s only played in three games so far but has recorded two goals and two assists. He has at least one point in every contest thus far.
