"Biggest flop ever for Calgary": Fans reminisce Matthew Tkachuk, Jonathan Huberdeau trade's one year anniversary

Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Huberdeau switched teams in a remarkable trade on July 22, 2022 that shocked NHL fans. Two gifted forwards on the ice, were at the center of a trade between the Calgary Flames and the Florida Panthers.

Matthew Tkachuk has since done the unthinkable and carried the Florida Panthers to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals. He and the Cats fell short to the Vegas Golden Knights but no one in the NHL dreamed of the Panthers making this run.

NHL fans overspilled the social media recalling the significant trade as a hit and flop at the same time.

Matthew Tkachuk told the Flames of his decision of not signing a long-term contract extension. Eventually, Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers in what can only be characterized as a seismic move evolving in a new era in his NHL career. The Panthers also received a conditional fourth-round pick in the awaited 2025 draft as part of the package.

The trade has even been compared to that of Wayne Gretzky and Jimmy Carson by some of the fans.

The Flames received a key forward, Jonathan Huberdeau, in the transaction from the Panthers in return for Matthew Tkachuk. Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and forward Cole Schwindt, who both had the potential to improve Calgary's roster significantly, joined the Flames.

With the commencement of the trade’s one-year anniversary, NHL fans have grown weary of Huberdeau’s performance with the team, and hence, some of them are considering the trade to be a huge flop.

Matthew Tkachuk and Huberdeau were well-known stars for their respective teams; thus, the trade stunned the NHL fans. Both viewers and commentators have been interested ever since to see how these players would fit into their new teams and how the move would alter the NHL's balance of power.

Hockey fans will remember this day as a turning point in the careers of Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Huberdeau. It was a crucial event that changed the course of the futures of the Flames and Panthers one year after the deal.

The entire effects of this historic deal won't be known for some time, but for the time being, it serves as proof of how dynamic and thrilling player trades in the NHL are.

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How long will Matthew Tkachuk take to get back on the tracks from his last injury?

The Panthers received a blow as Matthew Tkachuk sustained severe sternum damage in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Tkachuk attempted to play through the injury in Game 4 despite all discomfort. But the toll on his body became too much to bear, limiting his ability to make a meaningful contribution on the ice.

He was unable to take part in Game 5, which resulted in the end of the season for the Panthers. Although it is challenging to forecast with exact accuracy, early analyses indicate that it might take the hockey star four-six months to recover fully.