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Flames Quarter-Century First Team: Matthew Tkachuk

ryan gagne
·2 min read

The NHL announced the Calgary Flames Quarter-Century team on Jan. 11, featuring several memorable names in franchise history.

Today, we want to look back at Matthew Tkachuk's tenure with the club and examine his credentials for being on the Flames' first team.

Initially drafted by Calgary as the sixth overall pick in the 2016 Draft, Tkachuk debuted with the team that fall, scoring 13 goals and 48 points in 76 games as a rookie at 19.

Surprisingly, he led the Flames with 105 penalty minutes, the first of only two times in his career he's reached triple digits in the category. Tkachuk finished seventh in Calder Trophy voting, which went to Auston Matthews that season.

During his second season, he scored over 20 goals for the first time and reached the 30-goal plateau by year three. He didn't play an entire season until the shortened 2020-21 campaign, skating in all 56 games.

Something remarkable happened in 2021-22, as the Flames won the Pacific Division title and defeated the Dallas Stars in the first round. Tkachuk played all 82 games and tallied 42 goals with a then-career-high 104 points.

May 5, 2022; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) controls the puck during the warm-up period against the Dallas Stars in game two of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
May 5, 2022; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) controls the puck during the warm-up period against the Dallas Stars in game two of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

However, immediately following Calgary's second-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers, Tkachuk informed the organization that he didn't plan on re-signing, and the Flames traded him to the Florida Panthers in a deal involving Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar.

During Tkachuk's six seasons with the Flames, these were his totals and ranks among players over the past 25 years:

  • Games Played: 431 (11th)

  • Goals: 152 (5th)

  • Assists: 230 (6th)

  • Points: 382 (6th)

  • Plus/Minus: Plus-85 (4th)

  • Penalty Minutes: 425 (7th)

  • Points-Per-Game: 0.89 (5th)

  • Power-play Goals: 45 (7th)

  • Power-play Points: 117 (6th)

  • Overtime Goals: 2 (19th)

  • Game-Winning Goals: 16 (13th)

  • Hat tricks: Three

  • Awards: None

  • All-Star Games: 2020

  • Honors: NHL All-Star - 2nd Team (2021-22)

Since joining the Panthers, Tkachuk scored a career-best 109 points in 2022-23, helping the club to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Although Florida lost in the five games, Tkachuk powered the organization back to the Final, defeating the Oilers in seven games. During the playoff run, Tkachuk scored three overtime goals.

In only six seasons with the Flames, he became the franchise's 21st-highest scorer.