Matthew Tkachuk wanted to sign long-term deal with the Flames in recent years

The now-24-year-old winger is coming off a career year in which he tallied 34 goals and 43 assists for 77 points while playing all 82 games for the Flames.

Despite his success, Tkachuk’s contract negotiations with the team were contentious, to say the least. The two sides ultimately couldn’t come to an agreement and Tkachuk ended up signing a two-year, $7 million deal.

Now, with his new contract set to expire at the end of the 2023 season, Tkachuk is eligible to sign a long-term extension with the Flames. And according to recent reports, that’s exactly what he wants to do.

“I’ve made it pretty clear that I want to be in Calgary,” Tkachuk told reporters on a conference call last week. “I love it there, my family loves it there.”

Tkachuk has been one of the Flames’ best players over the past few seasons and is a big part of the team’s core. He’s also a key cog in their power play and has developed into one of the league’s premier agitators.

There’s no doubt that Tkachuk is an important piece of the puzzle for the Flames, but it remains to be seen if they’re willing to meet his asking price.

If not, Tkachuk will become a free agent after the 2023 season and will have no shortage of suitors. So while the Flames may want to keep him in the fold, they’ll need to be prepared to pay up if they want to make that happen.