Matthew Tkachuk's Contract Situation

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by transplant99

So people want to deal the guy the team has control over beyond next season, and keep the guy who not only can walk after next season but has a 5 team trade to list and has actually publicly stated there is at least one other destination he would like to play...never mind their 5 year age difference?

I really dont get it.

In the event Tkachuck gets traded, and Gaudreau isn't going to re-sign, that's a scenario where both are traded then.

This could also work in vice versa order also.

That's more of a rebuild move rather than retool though.

[8sPOT]

I just hope one of Tkachuk or Gaudreau is traded this off season as it does seem unlikely we could sign both. Not to mention the much needed core shake-up this team needs.

Might come down to what the other teams want. Do they want a Gaudreau or a Tkachuk? Is one worth more than the other to certain teams?

This is a big off season for the Flames, especially with Sutter on board. Have to think he will have a lot of input.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Tkachuk has been frustrating opposite of clutch

Disappears during the post season (5 pts in 15). Brutal, especially down the stretch this year

Good game against Ottawa on Sunday, though. When it’s too little too late. Where was that guy all year?

One note in his defence. Conroy thinks he is the kind of guy that thrives on fans. That may be, that he elevates his game when they respond to his antics. But pretty much all of the other good players in the league seem to be able to get their games up

9 million looks a lot worse than 7 too

The guys hasn’t been clutch as a 19, or 21 year old in the playoffs and was injured too early last year to see if he was going to make an impact. He did score a OT winner to clinch the memorial cup so has proven to be clutch in the past.

I don’t think we will ever really know what happened with Tkachuk but I do think something happened during that closed door meeting that shook his confidence or impacted him negatively. I also agree with the fan analogy as I think Tkachuk thrives when the crowd pops or boos when he is on the ice.

So Tkachuk is the only top player league wide who is struggling this season? I didn’t realize. I haven’t really paid much attention outside the north division.

This has been his worst season overall but he is still outpacing his point production from his first 2 years in the league.


It is crazy the logic on keeping Gaudreau over him however. Johnny has ran 2 hot shooting streaks to a whole 5 more points than Tkachuk this year and will require similar money on a long term deal starting when he is 29 as opposed to 24.

The only ways Tkachuk should move this summer is if it is in a deal for a clear organizational need and upgrade or if he requests to move otherwise you hope he rebuilds his value either to the team long term or in a trade next summer.

People love to beat up on Tkachuk for the bridge to high QO but it is pretty much what all of those RFA’s did that summer. Sign a bridge to get the $10M deal in 3 years or sign the $10M deal up front like the Leafs did with Matthews and Marner.

[djsFlames]

Trade em all.

Except Hanifin, Mangi, Lindhom, Tanev.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by transplant99

So people want to deal the guy the team has control over beyond next season, and keep the guy who not only can walk after next season but has a 5 team trade to list and has actually publicly stated there is at least one other destination he would like to play...never mind their 5 year age difference?

I really dont get it.

Well one consideration is that Tkachuk only has one more year of team control, and that comes at a cost of $9 million.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Well one consideration is that Tkachuk only has one more year of team control, and that comes at a cost of $9 million.

2 more years. $7M next year and potential $9M the following year then UFA.

[Azhouse]

Then he'll be outta here so fast it'll make your head spin.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Probably some of the concern is the last minute nature of his first signing and the fact they had to in effect give up a year of ELC to convince him, plus the holdout through training camp before signing his one RFA deal (and then getting a deal that only used RFA years if my math is right).

1 year of UFA otherwise he wouldn't have trade protection kicking in next year.

[Azhouse]

His dad only cared about $$. I fear the apple doesn't fall from the tree.

[Joborule]

Quite frankly what Tkachuk has done for himself is how all players should operate. Flames weren't in the position to give him a lengthy loaded contract, so take a bridge deal that gets him to UFA quicker so he can make have complete leverage.

Players need to be making the best deals for themselves rather than for the organization they play for.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jacks

1 year of UFA otherwise he wouldn't have trade protection kicking in next year.

Thanks. In any event, the fact he signed a 6 year contract isn't a big indicator of his intentions to me me, since his ticket out of Calgary would have only come now anyway. His only alternatives were to hold out and/or sign minimum terms year after year, which would have been tiresome and maybe not as lucrative.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

2 more years. $7M next year and potential $9M the following year then UFA.

One more year than Gaudreau is what I was referring to. So not a huge difference.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Tkachuk is on pace for 55 points in an 82 game season. His offensive production has declined in two consecutive seasons. His defensive play has also declined.

He signed for 3 years at $7 million per season. Tkachuk is the highest paid player on the team.

The problem is that Tkachuk requires a $9 million QO after next season in order to sign him, otherwise he becomes a UFA. The cap will still be flat at that point.

What is the best way the Flames can handle this?
Tkachuk should be the most valuable asset in the organization, but is he?

He probably still has considerable trade value. I could see teams like Ottawa, Buffalo and Columbus valuing his eventual RFA status.

Tkachuk needs to bounce back, but it's far more likely he does than doesn't. He's certainly worth his salary if he gets back to the 70 point player he is and provides so much more to the team to begin with. Even at this rate, he's been pretty close to the 70 point guy you'd expect, albeit with a plunge in his goal scoring. I'd say this can be attributed to the fact that the entire team doesn't seem to be able to generate anything this season.

Point totals for the last 35 games:
Lindholm: 27
Tkachuk: 27
Gaudreau: 25
Backlund: 20
Monahan: 16

The Flames have much more significant problems such as a dud of a top center in Monahan who by all measures can't even score at a second line rate and Gaudreau who has not been able to regain his elite offensive play for multiple seasons with any consistency.

Nobody is forking over a 10M/AAV for him, so this isn't a contract that is going to hamper the team either way. During next season you extend Tkachuk on a similar deal for another 5 years, with a raise, provided you don't see extremely concerning Monahan esque signs of catastrophic decline. Without him this franchise goes from disaster to complete sideshow.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

One more year than Gaudreau is what I was referring to. So not a huge difference.

I wouldn't call Gaudreau's next year team control exactly, with that strong LNTC.

[Classic_Sniper]

Not sure if i'm in minority here or not, but I'm not really interested in trading Matthew Tkachuk even with the QO. The Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk line is pretty much the only above (league) average line this team has and I think they can carry and propel this team to the next level. It took a long time for this organization to put them together, but it works and works really well.

Gio and Tanev is the other above (league) average pairing. I have a hard time seeing Darryl being ok with exposing his #1 defenseman just to keep his #4 guy Hanifin. Darryl doesn't come off as an agist either, so I doubt he cares that Hanifin is 14 years younger. Iunno, maybe I'll be proven wrong, but it's just an inkling I have.

[TorqueDog]

Trading Tkachuk is a move we would live to regret, no way in hell would I do it.

[Skaloper]

No way we trade Tkachuk, I feel once fans are back in the building he'll return to his productive self. Sure he should have been able to bring his game without fans but in reality that is not how the game is played so just write off this season and move on.

[Jacks]

I wouldn't trade Tkachuk just for the hell of it but if he can be part of a package to land a true #1C then get it done.

Also, if he isn't willing to do a medium-long term extension this summer you have to consider shipping him out.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Skaloper

No way we trade Tkachuk, I feel once fans are back in the building he'll return to his productive self. Sure he should have been able to bring his game without fans but in reality that is not how the game is played so just write off this season and move on.

I think Tkachuk is here if that is what he wants. If he is not willing to commit now then I do not think he is untouchable.

Over the past 24hrs I have certainly warmed to the idea of trading for Eichel and keeping Gaudreau but that is because Tkachuk is the only asset that could be a realistic centerpiece for Eichel

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think Tkachuk is here if that is what he wants. If he is not willing to commit now then I do not think he is untouchable.

Over the past 24hrs I have certainly warmed to the idea of trading for Eichel and keeping Gaudreau but that is because Tkachuk is the only asset that could be a realistic centerpiece for Eichel

This is me. If you can get Eichel, you have to do a reasonable deal. Whatever that is it certainly involves a guy who a lot of fans here like.

I'd also add that $9M is a lot even for a 70 point guy, especially a wing. And especially if it means you lose out on a longer term elite centre, for maybe only a couple years more of Tkachuk.