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Kevin: Five NHL teams that should be looking to land Matthew Tkachuk |
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The NHL's big news today is that Matthew Tkachuk informed the Calgary Flames that he didn't want to sign a long-term deal with the team.
Tkachuk is a restricted free agent. The Flames will presumably look to move him as soon as possible. If they want to receive the best return, they probably will let teams talk to him about a new contract.
The son of career 500-goal NHL scorer Keith Tkachuk, Matthew scored 42 goals last season. He also provides a hard-nosed presence and a belligerent playing style. Some top teams are looking for a player who has his attributes:
Here are teams that will, or should, talk to the Flames about Matthew:
St. Louis Blues
Call the Blues the favorite. He is from St. Louis and his father works for the organization. There's long been an assumption that Matthew and/or Brady Tkachuk would end up returning to St. Louis. The Blues have the assets to get a deal done, although some no-trade calls complicate matters. As long as the Blues can clear cap space, they will give Matthew the lucrative deal he wants. The Blues are still a quality team. Tkachuk could add more bite to their lineup.
Ottawa Senators
It's clear the Senators are trying to be aggressive to improve their team now. They have plenty of young talented players to use to make the trade happen. The idea of playing on a team with his brother Brady is probably appealing to him. The blend of their young talent with two Tkachuk brothers could make this team highly competitive in a hurry. But do they want to pay Matthew $9 or $10 million? He will get much somewhere.
Toronto Maple Leafs
He could be the missing piece the Maple Leafs need. They would undoubtedly have to move William Nylander's contract as part of the deal, plus maybe Alexander Kerfoot. The Maple Leafs have a dynamic offense and Tkachuk could add the snarl.
New Jersey Devils
They have the cap space and the desire to make it happen. They thought they had a chance to land Johnny Gaudreau. But it didn't happen. The big question is whether Tkachuk would want to go to New Jersey long-term. This team has potential to be a very talented group. Will Tkachuk see that or will he have New Jersey on his don't-want-to-go-there list?
New York Islanders
Don't underestimate Lou Lamoriello. He was interested in Gaudreau and we can imagine he would really be interested in landing Tkachuk. He has been working on clearing up cap space for Nazem Kadri. He must have some idea of how to make it work.
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