[sureLoss]

News Update

Flames inch closer to signing Jankowski
http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/03/30...mark-jankowski

It appears Mark Jankowski’s four-year wait to turn pro is almost over.

And that’s good news for Flames fans who will likely learn as early as Wednesday the former first-round draft pick from Providence College isn’t bolting for free agency and will sign in Calgary.

“We’ve made progress today,” Jankowski’s advisor/agent Wade Arnott said Tuesday night, following a long day of philosophical and accounting discussions with the Calgary Flames.

“I know everyone wants to cut to the chase and find out if he’s signing or not. In his case, there are a lot of factors to discuss.”

Arnott insisted the old adage “no news is bad news” is not applicable to Jankowski’s silent contract discussions.

“These things don’t happen overnight,” said Arnott, reminding people Johnny Gaudreau’s hasty decision to punctuate his junior year at Boston College with a signature and a jet to Calgary is a rarity.

“A lot of the other cases are more cut and dried.”

The Flames own his rights until Aug. 15 and would like to sign him, but Jankowski’s camp and the Flames still aren’t quite on the same page in terms of bonuses and the development path the 21-year-old would take from here.

Flames GM Brad Treliving said late last Tuesday night he is indeed still optimistic a deal will get done.

Treliving has been very public about the fact the late-blooming centre will need at least a year in the American Hockey League, which is where he’d like him to start as early as this week.

Jankowski’s camp feels he has the leverage for bonuses most 21st picks don’t get and would like to suit up as a Flame this spring so he can burn a year off his two-year entry contract and get to free agency faster.

“Calgary hasn’t done anything to dissuade Mark from being a Calgary Flame,” said Arnott, reiterating how great the Flames have been with Jankowski all along.

“This new regime, which did not draft him, did a great job supporting and developing him. They haven’t given him any reason to not be a Flame.”