Front-runner emerges in trade for Matthew Tkachuk

Matthew Tkachuk wants out. The Calgary Flames filed for club-elected salary arbitration with the restricted free agent on Monday, but the top forward informed them he won’t be re-signing with the club, making a trade of the 24-year-old likely to happen soon, seeing that he is unwilling to make a long-term commitment to Calgary.

The Flames are looking to move him to a club where Tkachuk would sign an extension. He has reportedly provided a list of teams where he is willing to be moved, which has everyone trying to guess where he will land. Per Jeremy Rutherford of the Athletic, one source familiar with Tkachuk’s list said that St. Louis, Vegas, Florida, Nashville and Dallas are options. New Jersey and the New York Rangers are also among the other teams that have expressed interest in the past.

However, the front-runner might be a club not appearing on that list. The list has already caused controversy with Flames insider Eric Francis of Sportsnet saying that it is not accurate.

The New Jersey Devils could be the ones who managed to trade for Tkachuk and sign him to an extension. As Lyle Richardson of the Hockey News puts it: [they] “possess the cap space to sign Tkachuk and depth in young players and prospects to tempt the Flames. The Devils could be the best fit if they offer up restricted free agent Jesper Bratt and if he’s willing to sign a long-term deal with the Flames.”

Of the aforementioned list, the Blues and Golden Knights would need to send some salary to Calgary or elsewhere in a cost-cutting deal. The Predators might not be willing to take on another pricey forward. Tkachuk is coming off a three-year, $21-million deal with the Flames and is currently a restricted free agent.

The Devils could be in that alleged front-runner position after all and we know a trade needs to happen shortly.