Flames tempted to move Matthew Tkachuk?

Matthew Tkachuk might have said he is willing to consider a long-term contract to stay with the Calgary Flames as he is slated for restricted free agency this summer and could hit the open market next year, it doesn’t mean they are now thinking about moving him…

According to Hailey Salvian of The Athletic, the Flames could look to move Tkachuk if they “sense any degree of uncertainty regarding Tkachuk’s desire to stay” or can’t reach a long-term deal with the 24-year-old.

The Flames face a lot of uncertainty this summer and might need to make significant changes. With less than three weeks away before the open of free agency, the Flames are at risk of losing leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau. Calgary is walking a fine line as Salvian wonders if the Flames should walk away if Gaudreau’s ask goes above $10.5 million on an eight-year contracts. That’s because such a deal would set the team standard for Tkachuk this summer and Andrew Mangiapane and Oliver Kylington still to sign as restricted free agents.

The Flames have just under $27 million in project space this summer, per CapFriendly, with 12 players under contract. With Tkachuk is coming off a career-best season in which he scored 42 goals and posted 104 points in 82 games while playing out the last of a three-year, $21 million bridge deal, he’s going to want to cash in. Big.

That might be why the Flames might consider moving Tkachuk instead of losing him for nothing next summer.

However, Salvian notes the Flames will have to be careful not to pull the same mistake the Ottawa Senators did in 2019 when they moved Mark Stone, seeing that cntre-piece Erik Brannstrom has yet to emerge as a top-four defenseman. She believes receiving an NHL-ready player is likely a priority for the Flames - what if moving Tkachuk makes that happen?