Fansided

Matthew Tkachuk Was A Luxury The Bruins Couldn’t Afford

By Brandon Quast |
Dec 11, 2021; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) passes the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2021; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) passes the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

It was some wishful thinking for some Bruins fans to think about Matthew Tkachuk on the Bruins but it was a sight for sore eyes seeing Tkachuk be dealt and sign an extension with the Florida Panthers on Friday.

How Could Have The Bruins Looked With Matthew Tkachuk?

For beginners, could you imagine Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand on the same team? Rival teams such as the Toronto Maple Leaf’s and Montreal Canadians would absolutely hate playing the Bruins with those two on the team night in and night out. The grit and antagonizing isn’t the only thing Tkachuk and Marchand would offer.

Matthew Tkachuk scored 42 goals this season up in Calgary which is pretty decent. Brad Marchand would score 32 goals this season and these two on the same team would’ve caused nightmares for any team beyond their worst thoughts. The thought of Tkachuk in Boston goes beyond Brad Marchand as Boston has David Pastrnak as their top elite player scoring night in and night out as Pastrnak himself was a 40 goal scorer last season and for the second time in his career.

Why Couldn’t The Bruins Afford Matthew Tkachuk?

Sometimes in hockey, dreams are dreams and they stay that way for certain reasons, good or bad. Seeing the haul that Calgary got from the Panthers for Tkachuk should be a one standard reason as to why Boston couldn’t make it work. One other very key reason this couldn’t have worked out for Boston is because seeing what Tkachuk’s extension was, it would have become impeccable to have any salary cap space in years to come, and that is important when you fact in that Don Sweeney has a very big contract extension to negotiate with pending UFA David Pastrnak.

What it comes down to is making a choice, Trade for Tkachuk and spend the assets to get him what ever that may have been with no guarantee to re-sign Pastrnak or pass on Tkachuk in order to look as securing current franchise star David Pastrnak for a very long time.

All in all, it would’ve been fun to see Matthew Tkachuk in a Bruins sweater however, not trying to dock Tkachuk here but the juice just may not have been worth the squeeze in the long run for Don Sweeney and the Bruins.

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