There’s absolutely no question Matthew Tkachuk should remain with the Calgary Flames beyond his nine-game NHL tryout of sorts.
Management won’t say so yet, but they know it to be true.
It’s that evident.
Whether they defer the announcement by sitting him out another game or two before his ninth game is played, it’s all just semantics — he’s an NHLer at age 18 whose future growth is best served playing against men.
He’s already the organization’s second or third-best left-winger and he has found a home on the team’s third line alongside Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik.