An Absolute BLOCKBUSTER Of A Trade Last Night Sending Matthew Tkachuk To Florida For Huberdeau And Weegar
You have to feel bad for the Calgary Flames fans. Both pillars of their roster couldn't get out of Calgary fast enough and now they're effectively having to start over. Luckily for them, they got a fucking HAUL for Tkachuk. A top 4 defenseman, one of the leading scorers in the league, and a future 1st round pick. A stunning trade even though we all knew Tkachuk was on the move for a week or so.
The Panthers were in a tough spot and I am not sure anyone really realized it. Huberdeau and Weegar are both going to be free agents after this year. Rumors are that Weegar wants to eventually sign in his hometown Ottawa Senators after this year. Huberdeau is somehow already 29 years old and he too will be seeking a HUGE new deal after this year. His point totals from last year make him one of those guys that on paper should be commanding north of $10.5M. It would be hard for them to justify paying Huberdeau more than Barkov. The likelihood that both of those guys ALSO get to free agency next summer, leaving Calgary once again in an awful spot with stars seeking greener pastures is probably why the 1st round pick had to be included.
The Panthers probably already felt like they've run this experiment with Huberdeau and Weegar. They were key figures in the resurgence of the team and huge reasons as to why they reached the playoffs. Having said that...they didn't do ANYTHING in the playoffs. Tampa Bay absolutely bullied them and swept them aside in the 2nd round. The last two playoff appearances might have given Zito the thought that they needed changes in order to get where they wanted to go. They already made a coaching change and now they completely changed their identity and roster while also securing their future by inking Tkachuk to a massive extension.
The Panthers still have work to do with their roster and not many assets or draft picks to get things done. This year might be a little bit of a disappointment if they're unable to further tweak things, but it puts them in a MUCH better position for the future, starting in 2023-24. Hornqvist comes off the books, Yandle's dead money gets reduced from $5.3M to a more manageable $1.2M next year. Darling's buyout also off the books. They could be very active next summer. The only "significant" contract they need to figure out after this coming season is Spencer Knight who is an RFA.
The Flames, well...they got enough back to make an honest effort of winning the Pacific Division and getting back to the playoffs. They got Huberdeau to replace Johnny Hockey's offensive production and they added a top 4 dman to an already pretty strong blueline. If they're able to sign both guys long term than this deal is pretty good considering Tkachuk was never going to sign. If this deal is Matthew Tkachuk for just one year of Huberdeau, Weegar, and a 1st then...woof. Bad BAD news. Probably would need a full tear down of this core if both players leave, but this is likely the best they were going to do.