Most figured this was a trade that Brad Treliving simply couldn’t win. When a star player is angling for a change of scenery, and especially when the entire hockey world is aware of it, it’s tough to maximize the value of the return package.
Many figured that the Calgary Flames, faced with the double-whammy departure of two top forwards, might be forced into a rebuild.
With Friday’s late-night home-run swing, Treliving squashed both theories.
The Flames’ general manager shipped Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a monster haul — assists machine Jonathan Huberdeau, rock-solid defenceman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt and a conditional first-round draft pick.
Whoa.
Tkachuk, who’d made it clear that he wasn’t willing to stick around the Saddledome on a long-term contract extension, is a bonafide superstar in the prime of his career. You hate to see those guys go.
Thing is, so is Huberdeau.
The 29-year-old was the top playmaker on the circuit last winter, racking up a league-high 85 setups. That’s the second-highest single-season assist total in the NHL in more than a decade.
Huberdeau totaled 115 points in 2021-22, tied for second on the overall scoring charts with the just-departed Johnny Gaudreau. He’ll now slide right into Gaudreau’s old spot as the Flames’ first-line left-winger. Maybe we can call him Jonathan Hockey?
While Huberdeau is the headliner, Weegar is another a dandy addition, especially with Darryl Sutter’s defence-first approach. The 28-year-old right-hander was a top-pairing staple, ace puck-mover and trusted penalty-killer in Florida. He averaged more than 23 minutes per game this past season, registering eight goals, 44 points and a plus-40 rating. Calgary’s blue-line brigade is stronger after Friday’s blockbuster.
The Panthers just won the Presidents’ Trophy. Huberdeau was their leading point-producer and Hart Trophy candidate, ultimately finishing fifth in that race. Weegar, meanwhile, was their leading minute-muncher.
So … what was that about a rebuild in Calgary? In this case, that conditional first-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft is a bonus, not a centerpiece. (The Flames parted with a conditional fourth in the same summer.)
If Schwindt, a 21-year-old centre who just completed his first full campaign in the pro ranks, can eventually become a big-league regular, even better. But there’s no pressure on the kid. Really. When you send a star out of town, you’re rarely saying that about any arriving prospect.
Treliving still has some work ahead. Friday’s prized pick-ups are both entering the final year of bargain contracts — Huberdeau comes with a cap-hit of US$5.9 million, while Weegar is a steal at an annual wage of US$3.25 million. Both are slated to be unrestricted free-agents next summer, like Tkachuk would have been. Both will require a hefty raise.
But as long as they’re willing to stay in Cowtown, this swap could turn out to be some of Treliving’s finest work. He made lemonade, no doubt.
Just a week and change after Gaudreau bolted for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tkachuk found his greener pastures in the Sunshine State. That, and a whole lot of greenbacks.
He immediately inked an eight-year, US$76 million contract with the Panthers. Still only 24, the skilled and snarky winger will be a fan favourite in Florida, just like he was in Calgary. At least until his final deke in the Flaming C — rejecting a long-term offer and informing the team that he wouldn’t be hanging around much longer. They couldn’t risk losing him for nothing, not after negotiations with Gaudreau took a last-minute turn for … Ohio.
Treliving was in a tough spot. But a can’t-win scenario? Apparently not. This swap will be celebrated in both markets, and rightly so. The hope is that Huberdeau and Weegar, both with Canadian passports, will be more keen to stay.
The Flames, fresh off a 50-win campaign, still have a stud goalie in Jacob Markstrom. He was the NHL’s shutout king and the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy this past season.
They have a deep defence. They’re now especially stacked on the right side — among Rasmus Andersson, Chris Tanev and Weegar, there’s no weak link. If they’re going to get past Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division, the more shutdown sorts, the merrier.
When Elias Lindholm drifted off to sleep Friday in Sweden, Calgary’s first-line centre must have been wondering who would be setting him up next season for that wicked shot from the top of the circle. The answer, we know now, is Huberdeau. (As Andrew Mangiapane heads for salary arbitration, he must be thinking he’d look pretty good on their right side.)
While the Flames’ offence isn’t as potent after Gaudreau’s exit, this will not be Young Guns 2.0, as some fans were dreading. Far from it.
Treliving was ready to build around Johnny and Chucky.
He wasn’t ready to rebuild.
With Friday’s late-night jaw-dropper, he made that very clear. This was an impressive bit of business.
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