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Details of failed Calgary Flames trade involving Matthew Tkachuk revealed

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Jun 22 2026, 10:16 pm
Details of failed Calgary Flames trade involving Matthew Tkachuk revealed
Sam Navarro/Imagn Images

It’s been nearly four years since the Calgary Flames made a blockbuster trade that saw Matthew Tkachuk head to the Florida Panthers.

That trade marked the second heartbreak of the offseason for Flames fans, who, earlier in the month, saw Johnny Gaudreau elect to sign a seven-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The silver lining with Tkachuk was that he was able to bring in a great return. Or so everyone thought.

Then Flames GM Brad Treliving traded Tkachuk and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to the Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a conditional 2025 first-round pick.

The move was made in order to keep the Flames in Stanley Cup contention rather than opting for a rebuild. As we now know, that was a misguided decision. Making matters all the more frustrating is that on Monday morning, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that they had another option on the table that, in hindsight, would’ve been the much better move.

“Matthew was almost traded to Carolina,” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “When Matthew was traded to Florida at the end, it was Florida, and it was Carolina. Carolina’s package was [Martin] Necas, [Alexander] Nikishin, I think the Flames had to take Jake Gardiner’s money, and there was one or two firsts as part of it.”

Necas, who wound up being traded to Colorado during the 2024-25 season, is coming off the first 100-point campaign of his career. Meanwhile, Nikishin is coming off of the rookie season that saw him finish seventh in Calder Trophy voting.

The Flames instead opted for Huberdeau, who they then signed to an eight-year, $84 million deal, a contract which is viewed as one of the worst in the NHL.

Weegar impressed during his stint with the Flames but was dealt to the Utah Mammoth at this year’s trade deadline.

While the Flames are now heading in a better direction under GM Craig Conroy, fans were frustrated to hear this latest report and are now wondering what could have been.

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