Quote:
Originally Posted by Finger Cookin
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I like all the players on the team, but I don't want the Flames to run into a problem of having a boat anchor contract on their hands regardless of who it is.
Separating being a fan of the player from the situation, Gio has a long history of significant injuries and that is a concern. That isn't as big a deal if his contract is workable (say 7 or so), especially 2-3 years from now. It is a big deal if he's getting 9 million and can't stay healthy because nobody will touch that, just like the Kings with Richards, or the Hurricanes with Semin.
Worst case scenario is the Flames have to trade him for a great return. He is one of the top D-men in the league, and there are 30 teams that would want him on their team. You could likely get a huge return from Detroit if you needed to move him.
Ideally they would be able to come to a deal in the 7-7.5 mil per range over 4-5 years. The only players that I would want getting 9 million is Gaudreau and Monahan in 7-8 years after their likely new contracts expire.