Matthew Tkachuk has been traded!

His wish has come true. On Wednesday, it was reported that forward Matthew Tkachuk had informed the Flames that he won’t be re-signing with the club. We knew this meant an imminent trade and now the trigger has been pulled.

Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers late on Friday night. It was then announced that he signed a massive contract : eight years with $9.5M AAV. 

The return reportedly includes Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar, with a first round pick and prospect Cole Schwindt, per Friedman. A massive haul in return for Tkachuk. 

According to the trade details, neither Huberdeau or Weegar have extensions in place with Calgary.

The Flames filed for club-elected salary arbitration with the restricted free agent on Monday, giving the team more time to put a trade together. Tkachuk had reportedly provided Calgary with a list of teams where he is willing to be moved with one source familiar with Tkachuk’s list had revealed how Florida was on it. 

Tkachuk is coming off a three-year, $21-million deal with the Flames. He is also coming off a career-best season, scoring 42 goals to go with 62 assists for 104 points in 82 games. He also registered 10 points in 12 games during the Stanley Cup playoffs, where the Flames were eliminated in the second round by the Edmonton Oilers.

“Matthew is a tenacious, physical competitor who possesses a tremendously unique skillset,” Panthers GM Bill Zito said in a statement. “He is a consistent elite offensive contributor and has emerged as one of the most complete and dynamic young players in the National Hockey League. We are thrilled to be able to add a generational talent to our lineup."

In the full trade details broken down by insider Frank Seravalli, it shows that "there is also a conditional 4th round pick going to Florida. And the 2025 1st round pick going to Calgary is lottery protected."

In return, the Flames are getting quite the haul, but are also rolling the dice, here. Huberdeau has one year left on a six-year contract that paid him an AAV of $5.9-million, and as part of that deal had a modified no-trade clause that saw him submit a list of eight teams he couldn’t be traded too. I guess Calgary wasn't on it. 

Just like Tkachuk, Huberdeau is coming off a career year, posting 30 goals, and career highs in assists (85) and points (115).

As for Weegar, he is also in the final year of his contract after posting career numbers as well. He is in the final year of a three-year deal paying him an AAV of $3.25-million and was signed following an arbitration hearing. Weegar put up career highs in goals (eight), assists (36) and points (44).