It's a bad contract no matter how you spin it. It's tolerable for likely the first 2 seasons of it but the back 3/4 years are going to likely cost the Flames retaining a player or two they would have liked to keep.
As for Gio his year started off horribly for the first two months and he turned his game around in December/January but his game has started slipping again back to where it was in the beginning of the season where he was on the ice for a lot of goals due to poor defensive coverage or turnovers. Part of this IMO is that the Flames play a system that is prone to turnovers as defensemen are always looking up ice to make a quick break out over sometimes just making the safe play and the other part is that he tries to do too much at times. He's a great leader and captain so I don't think you can question that part of his game as it probably played a large role in him getting that deal.
He's similar to Erik Karlsson area where you accept the defensive gaffes because he also creates his share of offense. It's going to be a problem when his offensive game slips as he ages but the contract is what it is and we just have to hope for the best.
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