Advertisement

Matthew Tkachuk returns to Alberta as a Florida Panther

WATCH ABOVE: Some recent videos from the world of hockey.

For six seasons, Matthew Tkachuk wore the fiery Flames logo on his chest. But, on the eve of his return to Calgary, he kept the rhetoric cool.

“Obviously I’ve thought about it,” Tkachuk said after his Florida Panthers skated in Edmonton late Monday morning ahead of a game against the Oilers.

“But, until we get to tomorrow I probably won’t be able to give you a good answer on it.”

Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk smiles during the NHL hockey team’s media day, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, in Coral Springs, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The NHL schedule-maker did its best to minimize the drama of a Tkachuk return. The Panthers play two Alberta road games in two nights. First, in Edmonton, where Tkachuk was Public Enemy No. 1 for six seasons. Then the Panthers are in the Saddledome on Tuesday, a place where Tkachuk was a hero.

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: Tkachuk returning to Calgary among must-see games this NHL season

There are no off-days to help build the hype, and very few opportunities for media to get the cameras and recorders in front of the American power forward.

“It’s just kind of another road trip, right now,” Tkachuk said when asked about what he expects in Calgary. “This one (against Edmonton) doesn’t particularly feel that special, but I am sure tomorrow will.

“We’ve got the game tonight, and our team is super-focused on this one, and not allowing the emotion to look past this one. But tomorrow will be special for me, for sure.”

Calgary Flames’ Matthew Tkachuk celebrates his goal during first period NHL hockey action against the Seattle Kraken in Calgary, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Tkachuk, who had a 104-point season for the Flames in 2021-22 and amassed a total of 382 points for Calgary over six campaigns, was dealt in the off-season to Florida for forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenceman MacKenzie Weegar.

Story continues below advertisement
Click to play video: 'Huberdeau, Kadri take in 1st training camp with Calgary Flames'
Huberdeau, Kadri take in 1st training camp with Calgary Flames

It was the kind of blockbuster trade you rarely see in the NHL anymore, with so many teams being up against the cap. But it was part of Flames’ general manager Brad Treliving’s plan to rebuild his team on the fly, after star forward Johnny Gaudreau made the decision to sign as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

READ MORE: Calgary Flames trade Matthew Tkachuk to Florida Panthers

Fast forward to this season, and Tkachuk has 27 points in 18 games for the Panthers, while Huberdeau has just 10 in 18 games for the Flames.

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, left, controls the puck in front of Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Andrew Peeke during the first period an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Paul Vernon

While Tkachuk was not going to say anything that could be used as bulletin-board material, his coach, Paul Maurice, had no issue raving about what Tkachuk brings to the Panthers.

Story continues below advertisement

“I don’t know if surprised is the right word,” said Maurice, who coached the Jets before taking the reins this season with the Panthers. “But in Winnipeg, we would have seen a fair amount of him, and I didn’t fully understand his hand skills.

“He has an incredible ability to tip pucks from all across his body, at different levels, and so many of the tight-area plays, what’s unusual for him is that he can do it goal line to the back of the net.

“To see it in practice, to see the number of pucks he knocks down and no one understands how he did that.”

Maurice said Tkachuk is model team player, painting a different picture than the agitator who has earned three suspensions and was the central figure in a famous brawl between the Flames and Oilers in February 2021.

“The way he treats people off the ice is incredible,” said Maurice. “The trainers, the bus drivers, all of the support staff, it’s really impressive to watch.

“He’s a very, very respectful young man who has had a whole bunch of success.”

Click to play video: 'Calgary Flames show support for Ben Stelter, the 5-year-old Edmonton Oilers superfan battling brain cancer'
Calgary Flames show support for Ben Stelter, the 5-year-old Edmonton Oilers superfan battling brain cancer

Maurice said the team is looking forward to how fans in Alberta — those who loathed and loved Tkachuk — will react.

Story continues below advertisement

“I think our guys might enjoy that a little bit,” he said.

“They’ll have a bit of fun with it, and it won’t be the first time Matthew’s been booed in Alberta, so he’ll be fine with it.”

READ MORE: James Hamblin to make NHL debut with Edmonton Oilers

Asked if the boos will resonate when Oilers fans see Tkachuk in a Panthers jersey, he replied: “I’ve got no idea.”

“It’s not my decision,” he said. “It’s what everybody else here thinks, you might have to ask them.”

Referees try to break it up as Edmonton Oilers’ Evander Kane, right, mixes it up with Calgary Flames’ Matthew Tkachuk during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alta., Monday, March 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal

Sponsored content

AdChoices