The Flames Show A Flicker

It's been some time in the NHL since we got a legitimate blockbuster trade. Sure, there are trades all the time, but it was shocking, to say the least, to see two 100-point players dealt for one another late on a Friday night. Whatever the case may be, the Flames, after losing Johnny Gaudreau in free agency, had a problem on their hands when Matthew Tkachuk told them that he wouldn't re-sign as well. It seems that GM Brad Treliving wasn't going to allow Tkachuk to go quietly without getting a player back who can keep them in the Western Conference champion discussion this season and, perhaps, beyond.

The Calgary Flames traded winger Matthew Tkachuk and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025 to the Florida Panthers for winger Jonathan Huberdeau, defenceman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect forward Cole Schwindt, and a conditional first-round pick in 2025. After being traded, the Panthers inked their new star winger to a deal that sees Tkachuk in Panthers' colours for the next eight seasons at $9.5 million per year.

Blockbuster? I'd say so considering the 24 year-old Tkachuk was eighth-overall in scoring last season with 104 points while the 29 year-old Huberdeau was tied for second in scoring with 115 points. I'm not here to pick a winner in this, but the Flames will have one season of convincing Huberdeau that he's the guy in Calgary moving forward before he goes to unrestricted free agency. With over $9 million in cap space available right now, signing him shouldn't be an issue if Huberdeau wants to stay as "the guy" in Cowtown. Adding a playmaker of Huberdeau's ability, though, doesn't come along often, and kudos to GM Brad Treliving for adding him in a situation that could have been much worse in knowing that Tkachuk wanted out.

Defensively, Weegar makes a decent Calgary blue line better as the top-five skaters will likely be Weegar, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Rasmus Andersson, and Nikita Zadorov. Oliver Kylington should round out that top-six, but Juuso Välimäki could push for a roster spot this season after posting 18 points in 35 games with the Stockton Heat in 2021-22. While no one will celebrate this defence corps as being all-world, the Flames will have a very capable blue line when the season opens in October with the addition of Weegar.

Schwindt looks like he'll play down the depth chart, but his addition into Stockton's lineup will be welcomed as the 6'2" centerman does a lot of the little things right while putting points on the scoresheet. He's adapting to the pro game nicely with his fist season in AHL Charlotte in the books, and he's showing a lot of the stuff coaches like to see - defensive responsibility, good play away from the puck, efficient play with the puck, and a knack for finishing - when it comes to cracking an NHL roster.

The worry about Tkachuk was always whether he was a product of the players around him or whether he drove the line he was on. That's not to say he's not a good player - he absolutely is - but his 42 goals and 62 assists last season came mostly when he was playing alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm. Gaudreau, it should be noted, was the player who was tied with Huberdeau in scoring this past season, so can Tkachuk find the same magic in Florida alongside players like Aleksander Barkov, Anthony Duclair, and Sam Bennett?

The prevailing answer would be yes after seeing those 62 assists that Tkachuk handed out, but chemistry is something that takes time to develop. We saw Huberdeau go on an incredible points run last season alongside Duclair and Bennett in the regular season, but postseason success alongside Barkov and Giroux was harder to find, particularly against Tampa Bay. Tkachuk, Lindholm, and Gaudreau were effective all season as a unit, but they too found themselves watching from the couch after they were bounced by Edmonton in the second round.

Both players average about nine points for every ten games played in their careers, so there won't be a lack of scoring for a few seasons at the very earliest from either player. Huberdeau is nearly five years older, though, so it will be interesting to see when a dip in scoring may occur as he ages, but the prevailing thought is that he should be at the top of his game for the next 4-5 years at the very least. Tkachuk has time on his side, so the eight-year deal he signed should see Florida benefit long-term as he rounds into prime form as a veteran player.

I'm not sure about this, but this could be the first trade in a long time that benefits both sides despite the high cost of the contracts the teams will have to negotiate. Tkachuk makes the Panthers a little tougher to play against with his physical brand of hockey combined with a solid finishing effort around the net. Huberdeau brings the playmaking winger back to Calgary after they lost Gaudreau, but he too can finish in tight like Tkachuk can if given the opportunity. Weegar adds a solid all-around defender to Calgayr's blue line, they get a solid prospect in Schwindt, and both teams get a pick in the 2025 or 2026 draft depending on the conditions.

A blockbuster hockey trade that works for both sides? That's the kind of wheeling and dealing that will keep both teams in the hunt for playoff spots, but it shows that, despite adversity the Flames faced this offseason, there's still at least a flicker of hope that they can take the next step in their quest for a Stanley Cup!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!