Flames file for club-elected arbitration with RFA Tkachuk

The Calgary Flames have filed for club-elected salary arbitration with forward Matthew Tkachuk, it was announced on Monday.

This allows the Flames and Tkachuk's camp to work together on a new contract while removing the possibility of an offer sheet from another team, which would force Calgary to either match any deal or let him walk.

The Flames have filed for club-elected salary arbitration with Matthew Tkachuk. This provides us the opportunity to continue to work with his representatives towards a contractual resolution while removing the possibility of an offer sheet.

Tkachuk is coming off a three-year, $21-million deal with the Flames and is currently a restricted free agent. He was not one of the 23 players who elected arbitration on Sunday.

The 24-year-old appeared in all 82 games for the Calgary Flames last season, scoring 42 goals and registering 104 points.

Tkachuk was selected sixth overall by the Flames in the 2016 NHL Draft and started his NHL career immediately with the team that year. He finished seventh in voting for the Calder Trophy that season. Tkachuk experienced a major breakout campaign in 2021-22, when he far surpassed his career highs in goals, assists and plus-minus rating.

His plus-57 rating was good for third best in the NHL this season, and his offensive prowess powered the Flames to a 111-point campaign that earned them first place in the Pacific Division.

Tkachuk also registered 10 points in 12 games during the Stanley Cup playoffs, where the Flames were eliminated in the second round by the Edmonton Oilers.

The Scottsdale, Ariz., native has 152 goals and 382 points in 431 career NHL games.