Tkachuk signs 8 yr extension with Panthers

[Brewin Flames]

Panthers Acquire Tkachuk From Flames in Blockbuster Trade, Sign Him to Eight-Year Extension

Mike Stephens - Yesterday 11:30 PM

 

 

The Florida Panthers pulled off a blockbuster, acquiring forward Matthew Tkachuk in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, defenseman Mackenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a first-round pick.

 

The craziest trade of the salary cap era just unfolded tonight. 

 

The Florida Panthers shocked the world in the wee hours of Friday night, acquiring superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk in exchange for another superstar forward in Jonathan Huberdeau along with defenseman Mackenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a 2025 first-round pick. 

 

Immediately following the trade, Tkachuk and the Panthers then agreed to terms on an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $9.5 million that will tie Tkachuk to Florida through the 2029-30 season. 

 

It's truly difficult to put into words how explosive this move is. 

 

 

Tkachuk and Huberdeau were both Hart Trophy candidates last season, each topping 100 points in 2021-22, and were now just traded for each other in a deal that has shaken the very fabric of the league. 

 

Somehow, Calgary managed to take a dire situation and turn it into an opportunity to improve, adding arguably the best playmaker in the NHL, a top-four defender, a decent prospect, and a first-round draft pick to their organization in exchange for a player that had already told them his future lay elsewhere.

 

The only downside is the contract status of both roster pieces, as Huberdeau and Weegar have one year remaining on their respective deals before hitting free agency. Now, the Flames will need to spend the upcoming season convincing them to do what Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau ultimately would not. 

 

Meanwhile, in Florida, the Panthers nab a legitimate star-caliber forward coming off a 104-point season who is just entering his prime, locking him in for the better part of the next decade at a cap hit that, as the salary cap recovers from its COVID stagnation, will look better by the year. 

 

These types of trades simply don't happen in the all-too-conservative NHL -- and especially not in a flat-cap era. 

But, here we are. What a sight to behold. 

[Brewin Flames]

1 minute ago, Brewin Flames said:

Somehow, Calgary managed to take a dire situation and turn it into an opportunity to improve, adding arguably the best playmaker in the NHL, a top-four defender, a decent prospect, and a first-round draft pick to their organization in exchange for a player that had already told them his future lay elsewhere.

 

 

After losing JG for nothing...this eases the hurt abit. The flames were not going to make the same mistake twice, and if this first rounder pans out, then it's as best as a win for the flames as they were gonna get.

[thegx.ca]

...and you're right aboutit still hurting though...wonder whose next...

[OccamsRazor]

3 hours ago, Brewin Flames said:

 

 

After losing JG for nothing...this eases the hurt abit. The flames were not going to make the same mistake twice, and if this first rounder pans out, then it's as best as a win for the flames as they were gonna get.

 

JG should have told them before the trade deadline so they could have gotten something for him before he left.

 

They could have had a nice turn around with trading both of those two.

[ruxpin]

51 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

JG should have told them before the trade deadline so they could have gotten something for him before he left.

 

They could have had a nice turn around with trading both of those two.

Going into the deadline they thought they had a really good team. They were comfortably in first place and thought they could challenge.  They're not trading the face of their franchise at the deadline even had JG told them.

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

Going into the deadline they thought they had a really good team. They were comfortably in first place and thought they could challenge.  They're not trading the face of their franchise at the deadline even had JG told them.

 

Maybe.

 

Regardless they lost the battle and the war.

 

I think it will happen again to them.

[ruxpin]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Maybe.

 

Regardless they lost the battle and the war.

 

I think it will happen again to them.

We certainly agree here.  The battle/war part is simply reporting the news. I think that's inarguable.

 

I mean, the "will happen again" is debatable, but I happen to agree with you (so, clearly you're wrong! Lol).

 

Just, in real time when you're in first place and you and your fan base think you have a legitimate shot, you simply cannot trade that player. I mean, of course after the fact it's human nature to say "what if," but we simply cannot do it that way or a team will never win. At some point you have to go for it, and this was seemingly as good a time as any. 

 

That said -- and this is probably hard to answer after the fact -- did anyone outside of Calgary really think they were going to win?  I don't think I saw them being swept in the 2nd round, especially not by Edmonton, but I never though they were in the same class as Colorado, either Florida team, or Carolina (i didn't realize the Rangers were as far along yet as they got).

 

So maybe a sober assessment says "cut bait," but there's always a chance the Avs trip up or something else happens, and I don't know how you sell that to your fan base.  I mean, the expense of personal security alone...

Edited July 23, 2022 by ruxpin

[OccamsRazor]

7 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

Just, in real time when you're in first place and you and your fan base think you have a legitimate shot, you simply cannot trade that player.

 

I agree especially when he leaves you hanging thinking we have a chance to sign him to an 8 year deal.

 

But I bet if they could go back now I bet they would have given him an ultimatum and if he tells them then they may move him.

 

Of course the fans would be angry  and then you would be able to tell them hey he didn't want to stay and we thought it would be best for the club to move him now.

 

Not saying that would be enough and and they wouldn't still be pissed but the GM has to look towards the opinion.

 

Just like they did with Giroux.

 

Unless you're like Zito and say fcuk the future now is all that matters.

 

And once again all hypothetical and can't prove none of it.

 

Just one man's opnion.

 

[pilldoc]

Holy Crap!  ....... gonna need some time to digest this one .....

[ruxpin]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

I agree especially when he leaves you hanging thinking we have a chance to sign him to an 8 year deal.

 

But I bet if they could go back now I bet they would have given him an ultimatum and if he tells them then they may move him.

 

Of course the fans would be angry  and then you would be able to tell them hey he didn't want to stay and we thought it would be best for the club to move him now.

 

Not saying that would be enough and and they wouldn't still be pissed but the GM has to look towards the opinion.

 

Just like they did with Giroux.

 

Unless you're like Zito and say fcuk the future now is all that matters.

 

And once again all hypothetical and can't prove none of it.

 

Just one man's opnion.

 

 

This one is hard for us Flyers' fans to comprehend because it's so long since this has been remotely relevant.

 

In retrospect, we lost to Tampa in the Semis so it's easy to look back.  This example is also pre-cap, but just for illustration.   .

 

Pretend it's March 2004, the Flyers are in a battle for first in the division with heated-rival Devils and for the conference with Tampa, Boston and Toronto.

In private, as management, we've come to the realization that for whatever reason we can't keep Marc Recchi next season.  He's the leading scorer on this year's team; we haven't won anything in nearly 30 years.  Our fans are avid and fans, talk radio, local and national writers and sports broadcasters all believe we have a legitimate shot.

 

And two-three days before the deadline, instead of adding the Flyers trade Recchi for a player or two, a prospect, and a draft pick.   Lines are shuffled, the team itself feels betrayed--never mind the fans--and chemistry down roster is interrupted.   The Flyers stumble through the rest of the regular season and bow out of the playoffs.

 

Both management and Recchi himself reports that he was never going to sign because his wife had a barrista job she really enjoyed at Horton's in Mississauga.   

 

To this day, we talk about "what if they didn't reinsurt Lindros into the lineup in May 2000."   "What if Stickle..." 42 years later.  What if the 1997 Flyers had a goalie.  The 2010 Flyers.  etc.

 

Gudreau was there for 9 seasons.  The fifth time in the playoffs but only the 2nd first place division finish.  They have their star free agent goalie signing, Gudreau is leading the team in scoring.  Everyone, especially locally, thinks they have a solid chance. 

 

You can't trade Recchi in March 2004.

You can't trade Gudreau in March 2022.

 

Yeah, you're risking next year and further at that point, but now is nearly the equivalent of bird in hand vs. maybe 2 in a bush but who knows?

Problem is they killed the bird in the hand, but they couldn't have known that.   I personally roll those dice, even in retrospect.  But YMMV.  So would a lot of other people, so it's not like you're alone or wrong.

 

I just...no way I trade him there.   

 

 

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

You can't trade Recchi in March 2004.

You can't trade Gudreau in March 2022.

 

So with this am I suppose to suspend disbelief and imagine Recchi is 28 not 35 in this scenario?

 

Because I can see without doubt the Flyer's going for it but I was thinking the Flames were smarter and they did win a Cup in 89 so I feel they would be more patient.

 

But I get what you're saying the Flames were playing damn well.

 

Pressure just got to them...

 

 

[ruxpin]

25 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

So with this am I suppose to suspend disbelief and imagine Recchi is 28 not 35 in this scenario?

 

Because I can see without doubt the Flyer's going for it but I was thinking the Flames were smarter and they did win a Cup in 89 so I feel they would be more patient.

 

But I get what you're saying the Flames were playing damn well.

 

Pressure just got to them...

 

 

Yeah. I think you're right on the pressure.

 

But 1989.  The math comes out that this team is actually further removed from their last cup than the flyers were in the 2004 example.

 

Recchi's age isn't the only thing that isn't apples to apples in the comparison but also not exactly relevant to the point.  But you also acknowledged the point, so won't belabor it.

 

I do get what you're saying, too, but 33 years and finally thinking you have a legitimate chance is too much to give up on it. Too much risk at that point even for a "similar for similar but with term" trade given potential/likely culture effects of trading someone that tenured.

 

All that side, i still don't know what to think of this Florida trade.   Seems like they're going to be faced with a similar damned if you do/don't next season but now with multiple players.

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

But 1989.  The math comes out that this team is actually further removed from their last cup than the flyers were in the 2004 example.

 

Sure but hard to compare a Cup win vs a conference loss.

 

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

 

I do get what you're saying

 

I forgot my point if I even had one too I'm at work getting my ass kicked trying to get this covid vaccines to run right.

 

We are having a hard time putting a vaccine in a plastic ampule because the vaccine is so heat sensitive we store in at -90 and the lowest we can get our machine to run at (chill water) is -22 and well the head that heats the plastic is 195 degrees. Not working been working on this for over a year with a company out of Jersey maybe you heard of it called Apiject they got the contract from the government.

 

Any way not even sure why I am telling you this like you GAF but any ways yeah I am at working and doing this when I have to wait for something.

 

My last of 4 12s in a row.

 

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

i still don't know what to think of this Florida trade.

 

Me either if feels like a Chuckles overpay.

 

But maybe they feel like the window is closing soon otherwise it doesn't make sense.

[CreaseAndAssist]

Matt Tkachuk leaves the Western Conference?  Oh ok, works for me.  The Western Conference is still Colorado's to dominate IMO.  Especially if they end up finding a way to keep Nazem Kadri.  

[OccamsRazor]

Someone with better cap knowledge than me explain the advantages of this...

 

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

28 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

Someone with better cap knowledge than me explain the advantages of this...

 

 

 

It gets a bit too convoluted for me to find exactly WHY or why not this is an advantage, but I believe it has to do with how the salary hit to the cap is calculated.
From what someone explained to me some time ago, I seem to recall signing bonuses are spread out equally through the life of a contract, but only to a certain amount of "segments" of the contract, whilst the base salary counts right away in whatever year it is being earned (I.E. 1M per year will be constant throughout the 8 years of Tkachuk's contract, while the signing bonuses can vary).

Again, exactly how this is an advantage or not, I am not quite sure, just going by what was explained to me and the bits I remember.
Seems to me, the signing bonuses can somehow be front loaded and at the tail end of the contract, the salary hit to the cap can be reduced somehow? Maybe THAT is the advantage?

Also, there might be some sort of advantage in any buy out or trade away scenario.

It's things like this though, that just keep me happy being an armchair GM rather than a real one. My head hurt just typing this to ya.  

[Math]

I guess the $1M are guaranteed, the rest depends on the personal and team performances. If the Panthers reach a fabulous level of suckage next season, the cap remains the same but the guy who make his paycheck saves "real" money.

 

Only my take, of course...

[mojo1917]

He's going to hate Sunrise and the area around the arena.

Doral, ugh- 

Hollywood is okay...

Ft Lauderdale,  ugh...

Strip malls behind palm trees 6 lanes of traffic , meth...

Lots to overlook for money and beautiful people.

[JR Ewing]

@TropicalFruitGirl26@Math

 

A performance bonus and a signing bonus are different from each other, as the names of each implies. The signing bonus on Tkachuk's contract means that, yesterday, he had $8M deposited into his account. The players are paid every two weeks (13 times) during the course of the season, so in Tkachuk's case, he will receive $1M / 13 = $76,923 (less escrow) on the 15th and 30th of every month during the regular season.

 

The advantage to signing players to a deal with a large signing bonus doesn't come in the form of any sort of cap avoidance, but rather that the player gets a big dump of money every summer, which they all like.

[ruxpin]

20 minutes ago, FireDillabaugh said:

Thanks for posting this update.  CapFriendly had just updated this after my last post.  Before that, it had it as the flat 9.5 base/total/minors salary and other sources I read seemed to believe it was the same flat setup.

I saw some of those as well, including CapFriendly.  It does seem like an unusual set up to me.

[NHL HHOF]

 

[OccamsRazor]

 

 

 

Edited January 11, 2023 by OccamsRazor

[thegx.ca]

I miss Tkachuk in Calgary obviously...but can see it was a family decision to go to same division as his brother now they get to be on same all star team that's gonna be awesome and they'll probably try to be on same team in future too

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, Villella McMeans said:

I miss Tkachuk in Calgary obviously...but can see it was a family decision to go to same division as his brother now they get to be on same all star team that's gonna be awesome and they'll probably try to be on same team in future too

 

You know, I was having a baseball conversation with my husband because the Twins signed Carlos Correa (after deals with other teams fell through, Correa "settled" for the Twins), and we were talking about players who didn't want to be on certain teams or simply weren't fully invested where they were, and I brought up the NHL and Matthew Tkachuk in particular (along with Johnny Hockey) who wanted out of Calgary.

I was saying that sometimes, what seems to be a bad thing for a team (players wanting out), turns out to be the best thing.
I mean, Calgary started out slowly, but catching some of their games here and there, they seem to be coming around, looking like it was more a matter of finding chemistry with the new players brought in.

Meanwhile, players like Tkachuk and Gaudreau are NOT finding success with their new teams.... Columbus is one of the worst teams in the league, while Florida is barely keeping up with the playoff pack and could find themselves not playing post season hockey when the 82 game timer is up!

I never was a fan of a player being forced to stay somewhere, or of a player who goes to a team simply because of money, or that it was a 'fallback' plan.
Always felt:
If a player really doesn't want to be there, help him get out. Best thing. No matter the reason.
A team plays best when everyone from their top guy, down to their 4th line call up, 7th defenseman, or third string goalie, plays as a unit and WANTS to be there!

Give me Joe Nobody who is trying his arse off with his limited skills and really wants to make a difference, over Tommy Superstar who seems to think the grass is greener elsewhere.
Get enough Joe Nobodies on a team and they'll make the playoffs well before Tommy Superstar and his spoiled rich brothers do.

Calgary may have lost lots of 'name' guys in the off season, but I think in the long run, and even now, they are better off for it.

I wonder how long before Tkachuk wants out of Florida once he realizes that the Panthers, once a promising looking group of players, simply cannot seem to fix the PROPER things needed to get better.
I wonder how long Gaudreau rues the day he signed with Columbus when he realizes the Jackets may decided to start all over again in about a season or two.

Jumping back to baseball real quick, I think the Twins are going to have another terrible, long season.
They didn't seem to improve their rotation, and went ahead and signed a guy who didn't pick them as his first choice.

Your Flames will be fine.
Tkachuk is a fantastic player, but if I am a Calgary fan, I am glad for the players that want to be there, for Huberdeau who signed his extension to stay on (Weegar too), and for the team unity they seem to be showing lately.
I'm even looking back to the Tkachuk days or the Johnny Hockey days in Calgary anymore.
Those guys may not find playoff success for a good long while...and it likely will have to be somewhere other than where they are.

Flames have a chance this year to get in the playoffs, and still have good enough talent to reload, unload some albatross contracts, and keep trying for the next several years.....with a good chance of actually winning.