The Calgary Flames announced yesterday that they have filed for club-elected salary arbitration with Matthew Tkachuk.

"This provides us with the opportunity to continue to work with his representatives towards a contractual resolution while removing the possibility of an offer sheet," a tweet from the Flames official Twitter account read.

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Although Tkachuk himself had not wanted to go the route of arbitration, the Flames move means that none of the NHL’s other 31 teams can give him an offer sheet. However, this could also mean that the Flames will have to match the deal another team offers or potentially let Tkachuk go.

The announcement on the Tkachuk contract dealings comes on the heels of now former Calgary Flames star, Johnny Gaudreau signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets; a move that has left many C of Red fans still scratching their heads. 

Both Tkachuk and Gaudreau led their club in points and goals during the regular season, with 104 and 115 points respectively. Tkachuk scored 62 goals, while Gaudreau scored 75. 

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