NHL.com has the fantasy hockey effect of the trade that sent elite winger Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers from the Calgary Flames for elite winger Jonathan Huberdeau and valuable defenseman Mackenzie Wigger. For more information, visit NHL.com/Fantasy and subscribe to the NHL Fantasy on Ice podcast for free.
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The Florida Panthers acquired elite wing Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames and signed him to an eight-year contract; The Flames acquired elite winger Jonathan Huberdeau and valuable defenseman Mackenzie Wigger in exchange. The trade includes two of the NHL’s top 10 point producers from last season in Huberdeau (115; T-2nd) and Tkachuk (104; eighth) and significantly changes the fantasy landscape.
Tkachuk was tied for ninth in goals (42), third in plus/minus (plus-57) and fifth in even points (75) last season with rare coverage in power play points (29; T-21), shots on goal (253 ; T-22) and hits (93). He remains a top 10-15 player overall with the Panthers, who averaged the most goals per game (4.11) in the NHL last season, and provides a physical dimension to boost their Stanley Cup appeal going forward.
The acquisition of Huberdeau, who had an NHL career high in points last season and led the league in assists (85), offset Calgary’s loss of elite left winger Johnny Gaudreau (signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets) in free agency from earlier this off season. While Calgary has already lost two key pieces on its top line and the first power play from last season in Gaudreau and Tkachuk, Huberdeau was tied for third in the NHL in power play points (38) last season and has more points (415 in 368 games since 2017-18) than Gaudreau (405 in 370) over the past five seasons combined.
While this deal comes with long-term risk for Calgary with Huberdeau and Weegar as potential unrestricted free agents in 2023, the Flames have renewed short-term Stanley Cup futures in the Pacific Division with a possibly more balanced roster than other top contenders in the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings.
Tkachuk will be ranked slightly ahead of Huberdeau following his trade to a stronger offensive team in Florida, where he will have a chance to play on the top line with elite center Alexander Barkov. But Huberdeau’s upside is similar on the top line with center Elias Lindholm, who was one of 13 players in the NHL with at least 40 goals (42) and 40 assists last season. Lindholm, who has renewed fantasy appeal since the Huberdeau trade, was also second in the NHL in plus/minus (plus-61) behind teammate Gaudreau (plus-64) last season.
Weegar, who thrived in a top pairing with Aaron Ekblad the past two seasons but typically didn’t play on the Panthers’ first power play, gains some fantasy value from this deal. He should now be considered Calgary’s top fantasy defenseman option ahead of Rasmus Anderson and Noah Hannifin and a top 15-20 option at the position with likely exposure to Huberdeau, Lindholm and wing Tyler Toffoli on the first power play. Ekblad remains a top-10 fantasy defender in Florida’s still-powerful offense, but loses some with the departure of Huberdeau and his trusted defensive pairing Weegar.
Over the last two seasons combined, Weegar ranked third in the NHL in plus/minus (plus-69) and tied for fifth among defensemen in evenhanded points (70). Weegar was also 11th among defensemen in shots on goal (203) last season and averaged more than two goals per game (179 in 80 games), adding to his fantasy value in standard leagues.
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NHL.com’s Pete Jensen and Anna Dua contributed to this analysis.
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