Friedman: Flames have begun extension talks with Gaudreau & Eichel speculation

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I chalk it up to the fact that it was always a matter of time with Matthew as it was always likely he followed his father's footsteps with contract negotiations and playing for the Blues. I also think it takes a special locker room to be able to handle a player that draws a lot of attention to himself like Matthew and it appears the Flames may not be one of those locker rooms. If this rumor is true and Matthew is traded in the next year then I would hope the Senators are paying attention.

We're also not talking about a wily old veteran in Tkachuk who knows how to pick his spots and be a super pest, to the benefit of the team. This is a 23 year old kid who's antics have sometimes been a distraction to his (and the team's) game.

A veteran or leadership group asking him to tow that line and be more selective to pick his spots is precisely the message he should be getting!

If this is truly the triggering point for a trade request, I don't even know what to say to that. It's beyond immature.

[Ashasx]

Pretty amazing how Tkachuk goes from future captain, best play driver, best two-way player on the team in one season, to this incident, and fans being okay with shipping him out.

Yeah, I agree and wish Tkachuk wouldn't have responded like this, but if this isn't proof of a systemic issue, I don't know what is.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Eichel & Tarasenko to Calgary

Tkachuk to St Louis

Prospects, picks and a roster player to Buffalo


Feels like it could be a thing.

Tkachuk to STL for 1st, Tarasenko, Prospect?

Eichel to CGY for:

Calgary 1st
STL 1st (Top 3 protected)
Valimaki
STL prospect?

Let the games begin folks... lol.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by jg13

Tkachuk for Tarasenko straight up is so gross

Again i'd also want Kyrou coming here, even in a 3-way situation (heh).

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

I'd say the main difference is that Marchand is just a better player and a difference maker. If Tkachuk was as good as him people would put up with more of this stuff.

The first five seasons of Tkachuk's career are better than Marchand's.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

We don't know that anything like this happened. Alternatively, in a team meeting the leadership group told Tkachuk that he needs to do a better job of picking his spots, and the team cannot be mud-slinging every night in a long season.

The schedule and division alignment lended to a playoff style season from the get go. I think Sutter even mentioned the team was not ready for the playoff style regular season and what that entailed emotionally (investment).

Tkachuk is another highly skilled + heart and soul guy IMO. You keep these guys and surround them because they are real competitors. Tkachuk is also incredibly smart (not just hockey it seems to me) and I've seen enough interviews to see how thoughtful he is - not to mention how high his hockey IQ is. So I'm saying he's a smart, competitive, incredibly skilled player. More please.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Tkachuk to STL for 1st, Tarasenko, Prospect?

Eichel to CGY for:

Calgary 1st
STL 1st (Top 3 protected)
Valimaki
STL prospect?

Let the games begin folks... lol.

Pelletier instead of Valimaki, so we don't create any holes on our NHL roster

[ResAlien]

For a heart and soul guy he sure packed it up quickly after a perceived slight. Poor little fella. Or is the argument that every other member of the team doesn’t care and Tkachuk is the only player on the roster who cares?

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Again i'd also want Kyrou coming here, even in a 3-way situation (heh).

Yes, this is an opportunity to remake this team quickly and relatively painlessly. If you can move out Tkachuk, Monahan, Dube, and some picks, and get back Eichel, Brown, Tarasenko, Kyrou, and defenseman, then you're ahead of the game IMO. There is a ton of risk there, but man, does that change in the lineup ever look dangerous. Of course, this would not be the first time we looked dangerous on paper, but this one gives me hope. I think Sutter would like it too.

[djsFlames]

I am pretty pissed if some guys in the room contributed to turning Tkachuk off of being/staying a Flame.

He is beloved by the fans and I'd rather not see him go to another team.

Moreso now that it appears he was actually phoning it in. You knew he was capable of much better.

[PaperBagger'14]

I was really hoping it was Monahan that was going to be shipped out. His role I expect would be greatly reduced with Eichel being the #1C and Lindholm taking the #2C. There isn't room for a >6 million dollar 3rd line centerman who is often injured but otherwise puts up good points.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

The resounding belief in another thread recently is that Tkachuk played great at the top line RW position, but in here I'm hearing he sandbagged it for 4 months. Weird.

Not inconsistent at all. His poor play was all on the second line. And a player who reacts as alleged is also a player who often performs well when things are going his way (i.e. put on a top line).

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

For a heart and soul guy he sure packed it up quickly after a perceived slight. Poor little fella. Or is the argument that every other member of the team doesn’t care and Tkachuk is the only player on the roster who cares?

I don't know. I do think he had a poor stretch of season but in the past he's been in there (nose dirty) plus putting up points. Ask Sutter what he meant by the team not prepared for all Canadian division with baseball style format. Maybe he thought the team needed to be more emotionally invested - not picking spots because they are all spots in that scenario.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

We're also not talking about a wily old veteran in Tkachuk who knows how to pick his spots and be a super pest, to the benefit of the team. This is a 23 year old kid who's antics have sometimes been a distraction to his (and the team's) game.

A veteran or leadership group asking him to tow that line and be more selective to pick his spots is precisely the message he should be getting!

If this is truly the triggering point for a trade request, I don't even know what to say to that. It's beyond immature.

Exactly this. If a veteran like Lucic has seen enough of Tkachuk’s antics, well I’d say that means Tkachuk needs to listen or out the door he goes. This does not mean we have a compete problem or anything like that. It just means the players aren’t backing him anymore.

[djsFlames]

Since we've heard nothing about Tkachuk's next contract, I'm willing to bet that the Flames don't have an intention of signing one and will deal him before then and let the recipient team sort that out.

Dots are starting to connect, even though it sucks in some ways.

I hope we can "retool on the fly" here and at least not skip a step or even manage to improve the group short term with a savvy trade or two here.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

Yes, this is an opportunity to remake this team quickly and relatively painlessly. If you can move out Tkachuk, Monahan, Dube, and some picks, and get back Eichel, Brown, Tarasenko, Kyrou, and defenseman, then you're ahead of the game IMO. There is a ton of risk there, but man, does that change in the lineup ever look dangerous. Of course, this would not be the first time we looked dangerous on paper, but this one gives me hope. I think Sutter would like it too.

I am starting to warm up to this. If you can maximize a return on Monahan and Tkachuk, you have the pieces to come away ahead of the game.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Here's my proposed framework:

- Tkachuk to St Louis for Parayko, Kyrou, 1st
-R. Andersson, Stl 1st, cgy 1st, prospect (1 of the top 3) for Eichel

Gaudreau-Eichel-Kyrou
Monahan-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Dube-Backlund-Coleman
Lucic-Lewis-Pitlick

Hanifin-Parayko
Valimaki-Tanev
Zadorov-Mackey

Markstrom
Vladar

I was going to post something similar. I think the Flames target Parayko in a Tkachuk deal. With him on the roster, they need to move a top-4 D, and Anderson is the most attractive option for both the Sabres and Flames. I doubt the Flames get Parayko and Kyrou and a 1st for Tkachuk, though. And I think Kyrou would get flipped in the Eichel deal.

To StL: Tkachuk
To CGY: Parayko, Kyrou.

To BUF: Anderson, Kyrou, Pelletier/Zary, protected 1st
To CGY: Eichel

Out Flames: Tkachuk, Anderson, Pelletier/Zary, protected 1st
In Flames: Eichel, Parayko

The cap hits seem like they’d be manageable for all teams as well.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I am pretty pissed if some guys in the room contributed to turning Tkachuk off of being/staying a Flame.

He is beloved by the fans and I'd rather not see him go to another team.

Moreso now that it appears he was actually phoning it in. You knew he was capable of much better.

He is beloved by some of the fans. I'm sure just as many fans feel the same way as some of the players.

If being a pest comes at the detriment of your own play then you are not worth 9 million and are not future captain material.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I was really hoping it was Monahan that was going to be shipped out. His role I expect would be greatly reduced with Eichel being the #1C and Lindholm taking the #2C. There isn't room for a >6 million dollar 3rd line centerman who is often injured but otherwise puts up good points.

Moving him or Lindholm to the wing would be a painless solution.

Lindholm can take draws if needed, even if he's bumped to the wing.

[dammage79]

If the Blues were offering what their radio guys were offering Tkachuk would be a Blue by now IMO.

2022 1st
Kyrou
2.5m retained Tarasenko
And Perunovich

Flip two of those assets combined with say Mangiapane and the Flames 2022 or 23 1st and Eichel is a Flame.

Like it makes all the sense in the world.

Cap works, everything fits.

Although I'd still want Kostin from STL as well.