Tkachuk's agent: We gave our position to Flames in early June
Matthew Tkachuk's agent, Don Meehan, said his side gave the Calgary Flames parameters for a new contract two months ago.
"We took an approach whereby we would be really proactive and progressive with Calgary," Meehan told TSN. "We started early, and we set a position. We didn't really have to wait. We formulated a position that we thought would be fair, and we gave that to Calgary probably in the early part of June.
"We're involved in negotiations right now, but as far as I'm concerned, it's not a waiting game. We've made a decision in terms of what we think is fair and relevant for the player, and we're working with Calgary now."
Tkachuk is one of several restricted free agents around the league currently without a contract, and his new deal is the biggest priority for Flames general manager Brad Treliving.
Earlier in August, Treliving said he expects Tkachuk to sign before training camp, which opens in less than a month. The Flames hold a projected $7.756 million in available cap space, according to Cap Friendly, and the team also needs to sign fellow RFA forward Andrew Mangiapane.
The holdup to sign the NHL's star RFAs is reportedly tied to Toronto Maple Leafs standout Mitch Marner, with agents waiting for him to set the market for a crop that also includes Brayden Point, Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Mikko Rantanen, and Brock Boeser.
The league's RFAs can go until Dec. 1 without signing before they're forced to sit out the 2019-20 season. However, if negotiations linger into the regular season, the cap hit during the first year of a player's new contract is prorated, leading to additional financial issues for the team involved.
Tkachuk, 21, produced a standout 2018-19 season, posting 34 goals and 43 assists in 80 games as the Flames cruised to a Pacific Division title.