What’s Up, Tkachuk?: Flames Need Matthew Tkachuk

Back with more RFA talk, let’s turn to the Calgary Flames.

The team has one of their top wingers up for RFA; they need to get it together and re-sign Matthew Tkachuk.

Matthew Tkachuk is a 21-year-old left-winger who has played 224 NHL regular season games while scoring 71 goals and 103 assists for 174 points with a +27 rating. He has a 57.0% Corsi For. The 6’2″, 202 lbs winger has amazing defensive play with 51 blocked shots, 104 hits, 42 takeaways, and 228 PIMs, all while averaging 16:30 on the ice per game.

NHL Standard career statistics
					Scoring					Goals				Assists			Shots			Ice Time
Season	Age	Tm	Lg	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	EV	PP	SH	GW	EV	PP	SH	S	S%	TSA	TOI	ATOI	FOW	FOL	FO%	BLK	HIT	TK	GV	Awards
2016-17	19	CGY	NHL	76	13	35	48	14	105	10	3	0	2	25	10	0	142	9.2	232	1114	14:40	8	15	34.8	22	65	40	27	Calder-7
2017-18	20	CGY	NHL	68	24	25	49	-1	61	14	10	0	2	18	7	0	188	12.8	309	1173	17:15	7	10	41.2	16	80	32	34
2018-19	21	CGY	NHL	80	34	43	77	14	62	23	11	0	2	30	13	0	207	16.4	344	1408	17:36	6	7	46.2	13	104	42	56
Career		3 yrs	NHL	224	71	103	174	27	228	47	24	0	6	73	30	0	537	13.2	885	3695	16:30	21	32	39.6	51	249	114	117

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/30/2019.

Tkachuk finished 4th in points on the Flames last season and was on this year’s NHL Network Top 20 Wingers at Number 17. The Flames have a great, developing player in Tkachuk at just 21-years-old.

Last season, the team went on a steady streak and landed at 1st in the Pacific by the end of the regular season. After that they met a swift 5 game defeat in the first round but this off-season they needed to have learned from that and have made changes and trades to push the Flames further into a playoff run.

If they want to have success coming, they need Tkachuk. He is a talented player and can bring this team glory. His teammates want him back as well. Captain Mark Giordano told TSN:

“There’s no question how much he means to our team. Everybody knows that he’s a guy that brings it every night, he battles.” (x)

The Flames still have $7,756,625 in projected cap space and only one other RFA (Andrew Mangiapane) left to re-sign. The Flames need to get on it and resign this kid because he is going to only get better and stronger from here.