The Flames and forward Matthew Tkachuk agreed to a three-year contract on Wednesday.
Tkachuk’s new deal is worth $21 million in total and holds an average annual value of $7 million — making him the highest-paid player on his team, according to CapFriendly.
“I’m here and it’s an exciting time to be a Calgary Flame,” Tkachuk said at a press conference Wednesday, later adding, “I’m ready to go. This is an exciting time and I knew this was going to happen.”
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The 21-year-old broke out for 77 points (34 goals, 43 assists) last season after hovering just below the 50-point threshold in his first two NHL campaigns. A gritty, hard-nosed winger who prides himself on driving to the net and creating havoc around the crease, Tkachuk netted 24 power-play points (11 goals) in 2018-19.
According to the Flames, he became the youngest player in Flames franchise history to reach 100 career points during a four-assist performance against the Canucks on Oct. 6, 2018.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported early Wednesday that the Lightning’s new deal with Brayden Point set the wheels turning on Tkachuk’s new contract, which will bring the young star back into the fold in Calgary after he missed the first week of preseason action. He spent time staying in shape by practicing with the OHL’s London Knights, his junior hockey team.
According to CapFriendly, Tkachuk’s new deal pushes the Flames over the league’s $81.5 million salary cap by about $650,000. The team must get below the cap before the start of the regular season on Oct. 2.
“You find room for good players. That’s the job. . . . [Tkachuk] is a top player in his position in the league. We like the group that we have,” general manager Brad Treliving told reporters at a press conference.
With Tkachuk locked in, only three major restricted free agents remain unsigned — the Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen and the Jets’ Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor.
