Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving acted on the play that unfolded in front of him.
Treliving spoke to reporters on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the Flames traded star forward Matthew Tkachuk and a conditional fourth-round pick to the Florida Panthers. The trade was completed nine days after free agent forward Johnny Gaudreau left the Flames to join the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gaudreau led the Flames in scoring last season with 115 points and Tkachuk was second on the team with 104 points.
“You can curl up in a corner and suck your thumb or you can face the music,” Treliving noted. And what we have tried to do is to confront the problem. This is what we do.
“We are not the first team to face a problem. We won’t be the last team to face a problem. We will deal with it. »
In return for Tkachuk, the Flames secured the services of forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Cole Schwindt, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and the Panthers’ 2025 first-round pick.
Treliving said he was forced into the trade when Tkachuk’s agent informed him last weekend that the 24-year-old winger would not sign a long-term contract with the Flames.
Given this situation, the Flames worked with Tkachuk’s agent to register for salary arbitration on Monday to block any hostile offers to the free agent with compensation.
The Panthers said Friday that Tkachuk agreed to an eight-year contract after the trade was completed. According to several sources, the value of the pact is US$76 million.
Eliminating any potential hostile offers was a necessary step for the Flames to get a quality return for Tkachuk in a trade, according to Treviling.
“We think this is by far the best offer we’ve had,” said Treliving, who also admitted to being in a difficult position.
Huberdeau will certainly play a key role in attack. He had a career-high 115 points last season, including 85 assists — first in the NHL.
The 29-year-old Jerome has played 671 games with the Panthers and in his career. He totaled 198 goals and 415 assists.
Weegar had 44 points (eight goals and 36 assists) with the Panthers last season. The 28-year-old has played in 306 NHL games, all with the Panthers. He had 121 points (27 goals and 94 assists) during his time at Sunrise.
Schwindt wore the Panthers jersey three times last season. The 21-year-old Canadian has 40 points (19 goals and 21 assists) in 72 games with the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League.
“To trade a 24-year-old player like Matthew, even though we were dependent, I think in the end we were able to handle the situation as best we could under the circumstances,” Treliving said.
Fans and some media have raised the possibility that the departure of two elite young players like Tkachuk and Gaudreau was seen as a disavowal of the city of Calgary. Before Treliving answered questions from reporters on Saturday, it denied rumors of the Calgary city attraction as a market.
“Very sincerely, it annoys me, launched Treliving. It is an exceptional community. I believe anyone who lives here is privileged to live in such an exceptional community. »
“We have a team that is among the best in the NHL, a team that competes every year to be crowned Stanley Cup champions and we will continue to do that. »