[Huntingwhale]

If the Flames are ever going to make a deep run(s), they are going to need to manage the cap with a fine tooth comb and make sure they have as many value contracts as they can. Personally I couldn't care less if a player signs a value contract, and has hurt feelings over it. The number of players that sign huge inflated contracts then not live up to it seems to be a much larger ratio then the numbers of players who outplay their contract. It's actually quite refreshing to have a GM who doesn't follow the 'script' around the league, and instead does what's best for his own franchise. It's annoying when you see a player sign a huge overpaid contract, then suddenly it seems to be the norm that said contract is now the bar that is set. I'll take BT taking his sweet time negotiating a contract that stresses out fans because the player hasn't signed yet, over someone like Chiarelli in Edmonton giving Draisatl a blank check simply because some fans aren't patient enough to wait it out. There were way too many people on CP clamoring for BT to simply give into Gaudreau and sign him for 8-9M just to 'get it done'. I for one am glad it took so long to get done and now we have him at great savings.

Players are going to try to maximize their earnings. GMs are going to try to squeeze every last dollar to maximize cap savings. Both sides are simply doing their jobs. This isn't Edmonton trying to get a player to literally pay them back (M. Comrie) or clearly low-balling a player (Karlsson) where it's clearly a PR stunt to make the player out to be the bad guy. So to say that players like Gaudreau or Hanafin feel 'insulted' and it gives Calgary a bad reputation is ridiculous.