Flames will try Tkachuk on top line: report

Matthew Tkachuk will get a look at right wing on the Calgary Flames' top line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau in the preseason.
Tkachuk, a left-hander who played left wing his first two NHL seasons, has 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 144 games for the Flames since they selected him with the No. 6 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft.

"I want to see [Tkachuk] on that side to see how he looks there," coach Bill Peters said in a story published Sunday by the Calgary Sun. "I told him I want him working in the offseason on picking up rims and being in the D zone on his off wing."
The Flames on Saturday traded forward Micheal Ferland, defenseman Dougie Hamilton and defenseman prospect Adam Fox to the Carolina Hurricanes for forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin.

Ferland scored an NHL career-high 21 goals this season, when he played on the top line.
Lindholm is a leading candidate to play with Monahan and Gaudreau next season, but he might be used at center on the second line, Peters said.
"I wouldn't pencil anyone in as we're still going to go out to get some help up front," general manager Brad Treliving said. "We're not done making our team better."
Peters, who coached Lindholm and Hanifin with the Hurricanes, said Lindholm would be used on face-offs on the right side if he plays with Monahan.
"Lindholm can play center or wing, which gives me nice options," said Peters, who was hired by the Flames on April 23, six days after Glen Gulutzan was fired as coach after Calgary missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in three seasons. "He's probably top 20 overall in face-offs. We'll have the puck more and that will help overall puck possession and face-off stats."
Lindholm won 54.5 percent of his face-offs (432 of 793) in 2017-18, when Monahan won 50.4 percent (709 of 1,407).