With Tkachuk on verge of a Stanley Cup, it's clear Calgary Flames lost the big trade

Flames in rebuild as former face of franchise is thriving in Florida

It’s pretty safe to say the Florida Panthers won the trade, now. Matthew Tkachuk is on the verge of his first Stanley Cup in his second season as a member of the Panthers. Meanwhile, his former Calgary Flames club is looking at the closest thing to a rebuild since it drafted him sixth overall in 2016.

The Flames are in line to select in the top 10 of the NHL Entry Draft for the first time since Tkachuk. Two years prior, they grabbed Tkachuk’s Cats teammate Sam Bennett at fourth overall — the highest selection the franchise has ever made.

In an alternate universe, both those guys would be leading the Flames to glory, but Bennett started his NHL career injured and never found the form expected of him before being reborn in Florida.

Tkachuk chose his new path, forcing the Flames to part ways and orchestrating a blockbuster trade out of town by letting the team know he’d be signing elsewhere after his contract expired. Eager to get something, the Calgary Flames picked up Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt and a first-round pick for 2025.

We all know the struggles of Huberdeau in Cowtown. Weegar has been solid, scoring 20 goals from the blueline during a career season this year. Schwindt is on the bubble with a shot at a checking role next season, and next year’s pick remains nameless for another year and is a long way off from contributing.

As lopsided as the trade was in terms of asset quantity — with the Flames securing a pair of core veterans and a first rounder along with a former first-round prospect — a Stanley Cup win for Florida, with Tkachuk featuring prominently in both the regular-season and playoff success, definitively gives the Panthers the win on that transaction.

In any other circumstance, Flames fans would probably be feeling sick to their stomachs. But because the Stanley Cup Final opponent is the hated Edmonton Oilers, those old Tkachuk jerseys are being featured prominently in Calgary this spring.

His playoff identity, however, belongs to the Panthers. He helped Florida to the finals last year but a severe injury kept him from participating as the Vegas Golden Knights claimed the Cup in Game 5. He battled through a broken sternum suffered in Game 3 and finished with 11 goals and 24 points in 20 contests. In 20 more this year, Tkachuk has scored five times and added 15 assists for a point-per-game pace.

His impact goes beyond the scoresheet as one of the most frustrating opponents to play against, but the point totals are pretty good, too. It’s a good bet the 26-year-old will have his best game of the series in Game 4 as the Panthers look to sweep the Oilers.

A finish Flames fans would love — most of them, anyway — even though the sting of Tkachuk’s departure will only grow stronger.