There are no worries that next year the threat of going the Hamilton route next season and negotiating through through the offer sheet threat? Hamilton sure was not going to do a 2-3 bridge at 3.5.
The Canucks have the draft picks and the cap room for example.
That is a big reason for extending him this off season rather than next.
If the Flames were to sign a name UFA at a mere 6M this off-season (and not off load a current core member) that leaves them with 11 players ( no goalies) with a cap hit of 58M. Say the cap is 82M that leaves 24M for Tkachuk and 10 other players.
Makes it hard for the Flames to match a 7.6M offer sheet.
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