Flames Facing Massive Decision With Matthew Tkachuk

The Calgary Flames are facing a series of choices with forward Matthew Tkachuk that could ultimately define what their franchise becomes over the next few seasons. If Tkachuk stays, the Flames are likely trying to remain as competitive as possible, making him their leader and building the team, in many ways, around him. If he leaves and follows Johnny Gaudreau out the door, the Flames could be looking at a rebuild.

All of that needs to be decided in the next few days, and probably will be if rumors of the organization placing an internal deadline on his decision are accurate. Because Tkachuk didn’t file for arbitration this weekend, the Flames and the player have a few options: they can extend him to a long-term deal, sign him to a one-year deal after he accepts his qualifying offer, hope someone extends an offer sheet to him and the Flames get four picks in return, or trade him.

Perhaps the worst of the bunch is Tkachuk signing his qualifying offer because he can leave the team next summer and the Flames could get nothing back. A trade puts the onus on Calgary’s GM Brad Treliving to get the best possible return. A long-term signing is the best possible outcome, assuming the Flames believe Tkachuk is their guy.

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To keep him, Calgary is likely looking at something in the neighborhood of an eight-year deal at $10.5 million per season. It will take the max term and a lot of money, especially since Tkachuk is a shrewd negotiator and he holds almost all of the cards. He knows the Flames don’t want another star player leaving. He knows they need him more than he needs them and he’s not about to take a deal to stick around, especially with the St. Louis Blues rumored to be the real team he’d like to play for.

Of course, there are also questions about whether his 100-plus point season is repeatable. Was this past year a one-off or is this the norm?

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