Seravalli: There’s lots of buzz out there about Matthew Tkachuk potentially being involved in a Calgary Flames transaction for Jack Eichel. What did you make of seeing his name included in the rumour mill?

Burnside: I must admit, it did stop me in my tracks. My sense is that the veracity may have been lacking with that, especially with the way the Flames are off to such a terrific start. It just seems that team is finally in sync. Matthew Tkachuk is such an important part of that, and, to me, it made no sense. Even though the idea of a franchise centre like Jack Eichel coming in tandem with Sean Monahan and whatever that might have looked like, the give just seemed to exorbitant to me, especially to a team, again, that I think is finally realizing some pretty significant potential. It’s been a rough couple of years in Calgary. But I think Matthew Tkachuk is a huge part of the core of that team, so, to me, it didn’t make any sense.

Seravalli: All of the intel that I’ve gathered suggests that Matthew Tkachuk was never involved in the conversation. The Flames were looking at a potential Jack Eichel addition as giving up futures to add to the group that they already have, so I think you’re spot on in your analysis. Yes, trading for Jack Eichel would help, but at what expense given you’d have to pluck a really key piece off of your roster for the next three to four months while Jack Eichel waits to get healthy. I don’t know how that helps the Flames in the short term. Maybe in the long-term, but I’d also argue, with all due respect to Jack Eichel as a game-changer, what the Golden Knights called him this morning, Matthew Tkachuk might be the better player in the deal.