TORONTO — Will Matthew Tkachuk Receive cheers or jeers when he returns to Calgary this week?
Even Brad Treliving isn’t sure what type of reception the forward will receive, although he’s taking a positive view of the situation.
“I can’t guarantee anything, but I think it will be a good greeting, I really do,” the Calgary Flames general manager told NHL.com. “He was a good player for this team for a number of years and gave it his all for the team, the city.
“I think they’ll appreciate that. But you never know. There were a lot of raw emotions in town when he and Johnny Gaudreau went elsewhere.”
On Tuesday Tkachuk will be making his first appearance at Scotiabank Saddledome in a Florida Panthers jersey since being traded for the forward. Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar on July 22. The Flames also received forward prospect Cole Schwindt and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft; the Panthers also received a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025.
The trade was something the 24-year-old asked for five days earlier. It also came at a time when the rabid Calgary fan base was already angry at the decision by Gaudreau not to re-sign with the Flames and opt for free agency instead.
Video: FLA@NYI: Tkachuk nets his first goal with Panthers
Gaudreau, selected by Calgary in the fourth round (No. 104) of the 2011 NHL Draft, had 609 points (210 goals, 399 assists) in 602 regular-season games and ranks fifth in assists and points, and ninth in goals among the Flames. history. He added 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 42 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
On July 12, on the eve of free agency, the 29-year-old told the Flames he would not be re-signing with them, citing a desire to be closer to his family in New Jersey as one of the reasons. When he signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets the following day, Flames supporters questioned Gaudreau’s motives, given that Ohio does not border New Jersey.
And when Tkachuk followed up with his trade request days later, Calgary fans felt they were being snubbed yet again.
Treliving said he understood their pain but had to focus on improving the Flames in the long run, no matter how difficult the divorce with Tkachuk might have been.
“You have to understand, I had a really close relationship with Matthew,” Treliving said. “He was like one of my kids.
“But at some point, you have to do what’s best for the team. In this instance you have two choices. You can either be pissed and verbally punch each other. Or you can sit down, make the best of the situation and try to make your team better.”
Selected by the Flames with the No. 6 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Tkachuk had 382 points (152 goals, 230 assists) in 431 regular-season games and 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 27 playoff games with Calgary. He signed an eight-year, $76 million contract with the Panthers.
Tkachuk faced his former team for the first time and scored a goal in a 5-4 shootout loss against the Flames at FLA Live Arena on Nov. 19. Huberdeau received a warm welcome from Panthers fans at the start of the game but was lustily booed almost three hours later when he scored in the shootout.
“I think that’s what will happen with Matthew and Johnny when they come back to Calgary,” Treliving said. “They’ll get a warm reception at the beginning but once the puck is dropped, they’ll be considered the enemy.”
Gaudreau, by the way, will make his return to Calgary with the Blue Jackets on Jan. 23.
CANADIAN NET PAINS
Martin Brodeur says he’s “flabbergasted” about the dearth of top-end Canadian-born goalies in the NHL.
And he has no idea why that is the case.
“I know it goes in waves,” the Hockey Hall of Famer said. “But I really don’t know.
“There’s so much emphasis on skills right now — skating, shooting, etc. — so maybe that’s part of it. But it doesn’t seem to be affecting other countries.”
When it comes to goaltending, few know the position better than Brodeur, the all-time NHL leader in wins (691) and shutouts (125). So, when he is scratching his head for an answer, it truly is a perplexing situation.
As of Thanksgiving, three Canadian-born goaltenders ranked in the top 12 in victories this season. Of those Logan Thompson of the Vegas Golden Knights (11 wins) is a rookie; Martin Jones of the Seattle Kraken (10 wins) is a 32-year-old journeyman who is with his third team in three seasons; and Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues (nine wins) has an inflated goals-against average of 2.98.
If an Olympic or World Cup of Hockey tournament was to start tomorrow, would a Thompson-Jones-Binnington trio be good enough to lead Canada to a title? Brodeur isn’t sure, especially since the days of him, Roberto Luongo and Carey Price manning the nets for Canada seem to be long gone.
Brodeur, who was named Executive Vice President, Hockey Operations of the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 10, sees a lack of talent at the junior level as well, especially in his home province of Quebec.
“According to our scouts, there isn’t a goalie coming out of Quebec that is worthy of being picked in the top five or six rounds of the upcoming draft next year,” the Montreal native said. “They told me about one promising kid but he’s only 16 and not even eligible yet.
“Compare that to the Montreal-Bourassa Canadian program I came up through. Think about this. At different times, myself, Luongo, Marc Denis, Stephane Fiset, Felix Potvin, we all played for them at one point.
“With Carey out and about Marc-Andre Fleury 37-years-old and in the home stretch of his career, which Canadian goalie is ready to step up? Carter Hart with the Philadelphia Flyers? He struggled the past couple of years, but he seems to have found his game.”
Brodeur does know this: the days of Canada producing goalies like Patrick Roy, Curtis Joseph, Ed Belfour, Luongo, Price and yes, Martin Brodeur, are long gone. It’s something he’s thought about ever since Luongo was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame earlier this month.
“Right now, I don’t have the answer,” he said. “I wish I did.”
THE NUMBERS GAME
When it comes to paying tribute to the late Borje Salming, some of the top Sweden-born players of the past are lobbying to have his No. 21 permanently retired from being worn by their national team.
“The number should not be worn by anyone else in the national team. I think so, it’s quite clear actually. It should be retired.” Henrik Zetterberg, who had 960 points (337 goals, 623 assists) in 1,087 games with the Detroit Red Wings, told expressen.se.
Nicklas Lidstrom, who won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman seven times during his 21-year career with the Red Wings, agreed with his former Detroit teammate.
“It would be a wise choice, I think so,” Lidstrom said. “There are many who made a big impression with that number on their back and that number means a lot to many people.”
Salming died on Thursday following a short battle with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which he was first diagnosed with in April but did not announce until August. He was 71.
Video: The NHL Tonight crew pays tribute to Borje Salming
QUOTE/UNQUOTE
“That goal was for Borje.”
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander on his game-winning goal in their 4-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday. The goal tied Salming for the second most goals by a Sweden-born player in Maple Leafs history with 148.
THE SUNDAY LIST
As mentioned earlier, Martin Brodeur is the winningest goalie in NHL history. Keeping that in mind, who does he rank (not necessarily in order) as the top three goalies in the NHL right now?
— Andrei VasilevskiyTampa Bay Lightning: “His Stanley Cups and Vezina Trophy speak for themselves.”
— Igor ShesterkinNew York Rangers: “He just seems to keep improving.”
— Ilya SorokinNew York Islanders: “Might not be as well known as the other two but a heck of a competitor.”
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