NHL rumors: 3 teams that should trade for Matthew Tkachuk

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DALLAS, TEXAS – MAY 09: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Calgary Flames skates with the puck against the Dallas Stars in Game Four of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center on May 09, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

As the Matthew Tkachuk Era in Calgary comes to a close, let’s take a look at three potential landing spots in a trade.

In an offseason that has seen Calgary Flames fans being hurt over and over again, another blow has come in the form of star forward Matthew Tkachuk telling the team that he is not going to sign a long-term extension.

BREAKING: Matthew Tkachuk tells Flames he won't re-sign long-term, trade likely: Sources.

This story is open for everyone to read.https://t.co/y2TGyEEpOR #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) July 20, 2022

After losing Johnny Gaudreau to free agency (after he also declined a long-term extension), the blows just keep coming for Flames fans. Gaudreau’s massive contract with the Blue Jackets did no favors for the Flames in the negotiating process with Tkachuk, who is likely going to command a contract that is just as bonkers.

Tkachuk, 24, is coming off of an incredible season that saw him make 82 regular season appearances for Calgary, scoring 104 points along the way (42 goals, 62 assists). Paired with Gaudreau, the duo combined to score 69 goals last year, 14 more than the next closest set of teammates.

Tkachuk has reportedly submitted a list of five or six teams to the Flames front office of teams he’d be willing to sign long-term with. However, the exact teams are unknown as of now, leading to some good ol’ trade speculation.

NHL rumors: 3 potential trade destinations for Matthew Tkachuk

3. New Jersey Devils

One of the teams said to be pursuing Johnny Gaudreau the hardest in free agency, the New Jersey Devils came up short in the Johnny Hockey Sweepstakes and are now reportedly going to pursue Matthew Tkachuk on the trade market.

While the Devils were able to sign Ondrej Palat in free agency, there’s still some cap room to work with and there will be even more money coming off of the books at the conclusion of the upcoming season with five contracts expiring (Severson, Graves, Tatar, Haula and Johnsson).

Down the middle, the Devils have both Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes so now would be as good a time as any to add a prolific scorer in Tkachuk to the wings. Put Hischier and Hughes alongisde Dougie Hamilton and the recently-drafted Simon Nemec and all of a sudden this team is looking very attractive in the near future.

Another detail that may help the Devils’ case is that GM Tom Fitzgerald is a cousin of Tkachuk’s.

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