Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames is currently a restricted-free agent. He can accept the qualifying offer of around 1-yr worth $9 million. If he and the Calgary Flames can not agree to a long-term deal anytime soon, Tkachuk will be a UFA after next season or Calgary can decide to trade him to a different team.
He is only 24 years old and was the sixth-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames. Last season with Calgary, he played in 82 games and scored 42 goals, and recorded 62 assists. His plus/minus rating was 57. In 12 postseason games, Matthew Tkachuk scored four goals and recorded six assists. His plus/minus rating was -6.
There would be a hot market for Matthew Tkachuk if made available by the Flames. Who are some of the teams that can possibly trade for him?
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have the prospects, the draft picks, and some NHL players that could trade away. Carolina is missing a superstar-caliber player to get them over the top and potentially win a Stanley Cup title for the first time since 2006. The Hurricanes would be willing to pay him a long-term deal and he would bring that extra power this hockey team needs.
It feels like Carolina has a ceiling with the talent they have despite being very good in the regular season the last few seasons. The Hurricanes would maybe become Stanley Cup Favorites with Matthew Tkachuk around.
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils have only been to the Stanley Cup Playoffs once since going to the finals and losing to the Los Angeles Kings. New Jersey has some prospects and picks to trade away to Calgary. This would be the best player that the Devils would have in Matthew Tkachuk in quite some time.
New Jersey needs to contend in a very tough Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division sooner rather than later. Jack Hughes is the star of this hockey team and having Matthew Tkachuk around would be nice.
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are one of the primary spots in all of hockey. However, New York would have to shed some salary cap space in order to acquire Matthew Tkachuk and keep him for the long term. The Rangers have the prospects and the draft capital but may not have the necessary NHL players in order to facilitate a trade though.
Tkachuk would make this team one step closer to a Stanley Cup title, but at what cost? This is one of the teams that this is a nice thought, but it wouldn’t come to fruition though.
Other teams to watch for: St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Minnesota Wild.