Tkachuk trolls ex-Flames GM Treliving "all the time" about the trade he made

Matthew Tkachuk is known for his agitating style on the ice, but it appears that he’s a pretty good chirper off the ice as well.

Brad Treliving made one of the biggest moves the NHL has seen in a long time when he sent Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers last summer. The former Flames GM was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs yesterday and spoke openly about the high-profile trade he made during today’s media conference.

“We never wanted to move Matthew Tkachuk,” Treliving admitted. “This was not something that I woke up one day and thought ‘Let’s move Matthew Tkachuk.’ Circumstances presented themselves. You deal with them as best you possibly can.”

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Despite not wanting to trade him, the 53-year-old was left with little choice after Tkachuk told him he was not interested in signing a long-term deal with the Flames.

“He came to us last year, which I was appreciative of. I’ll never fault a player that says ‘it’s time for me to move, I’m not looking to sign long term here,’ so you go into the market,” Treliving explained. “There were some challenges, no question. You’re playing with a two and a three in your hand, and everybody else has got a pair of aces.”

Ultimately, Treliving chose to deal Tkachuk to the Panthers in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a conditional 2025 first-round draft pick. The deal hasn’t worked out the way the Flames had hoped so far, as Huberdeau and Weegar saw a dip in their production, while Tkachuk is a Hart Trophy finalist.

It sounds like Tkachuk likes to troll Treliving about it.

“[Tkachuk], who I’m very close to, he reminds me all the time that his success always gets my name brought up, so he says ‘you’re welcome,'” said a smirking Treliving.

Though Treliving holds no ill will towards Tkachuk, he was certainly put in a difficult position last summer. While the deal itself may not look great as of now, many were quick to give him props for it at the time it was made. Public discourse may change once again if Huberdeau is able to bounce back next season.