Matthew Tkachuk is Drawing A LOT of Attention In Calgary
Several teams have reportedly approached the Calgary Flames about forward Matthew Tkachuk this summer.
Despite the fact that the Flames are not shopping the 23-year-old, clubs have been calling GM Brad Treliving, who is, of course, taking the calls and doing his due diligence, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Pagnotta stated, "Multiple sources have told me the asking price is outrageous."
After the Flames were removed from playoff contention earlier this summer, Tkachuk's name surfaced in trade rumours. The big one was that Tkachuk is dissatisfied with his current situation in Calgary and would welcome the chance to play for his hometown St. Louis Blues.
Tkachuk's current contract has one year left on it and bears a $7 million cap charge, so whatever "astronomical" means in terms of picks, prospects, and possibly a roster player remains to be seen. Next summer, he'll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
The major issue here is that Tkachuk's base pay this season is $9 million, implying that his qualifying offer will be substantial. If he chooses to go to arbitration, he may be awarded a short-term contract that allows him to leave the team unconstrained.
On the surface, it appears that Treliving wants to keep Tkachuk, but this exorbitant price tag could simply be his way of maximising his return on a player he is going to lose regardless.
This is going to be an intriguing issue to watch.
| POLL | ||
Would you trade for Tkachuck? | ||
| Yes | 109 | 59.2 % |
| No | 75 | 40.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
