Analyzing the winners and losers of the blockbuster Tkachuk-Huberdeau Trade
On July 22, the hockey world stopped in its tracks when Matthew Tkachuk and Jonathan Huberdeau were swapped along with other assets. In the trade, the Flames received Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt and a conditional first-round pick in 2025. The Panthers received Tkachuk and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025.
Winners
Matthew Tkachuk: Tkachuk hasn’t lost a step since he left Calgary. He has posted 59 points in just 45 games, a slightly better points per game stat line than his previous breakout year in Calgary. In addition to his stats hovering over the same threshold, Tkachuk signed a contract worth $76 million with a salary of $9.5 million per year with the Panthers.
Florida Panthers: Even if the Panthers aren’t on the pace of points like last season, they’re still having a good year. But the real reason they won this trade is that they locked up their future for the next eight years. Trading for Tkachuk was such a big win for the ‘Cats, and at a reasonable deal for the superstar out of Arizona.
Losers
Jonathan Huberdeau: The Quebec native was having a magical year for the Panthers in his last season with the team. But this year, not so much.
Huberdeau seems to be a shell of his former self this year, tallying just 32 points in 44 games. That’s under a point per game — tough to see for Flames fans. His expectations were through the roof when he was shipped off to Calgary, but those hopes have slowly diminished.
Coming off the heels of a second-round playoff appearance last year, the Flames were looking to advance further, but after trading away Tkachuk, it might be a formality for the Flames that their cup hopes are coming to an end.
Brad Treliving: Man, I feel bad for the Flames’ general manager. Trading away your franchise player who got a good deal and getting a less than a point per game guy is … disappointing.
Treliving is the biggest loser in this trade and it’s not even close. Not only did he lose this trade, but he also lost his previous best player on his own team, Johnny Gaudreau, to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Man, he took an enormous loss. A massive loss.
Closing Thoughts:
In defense of the Flames and Treliving, the trade seemed decently fair on paper initially. But boy, were we wrong. The Panthers fleeced the Flames; they robbed them blind. However you want to say it, you can, but recapping and analyzing this blockbuster trade, any hockey fan or person with a brain can tell you who won.
It’s the Panthers and Matthew Tkachuk.
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