Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
I think he's getting it regardless and he's smart enough to know what he got himself into as he knows the contract situations and that changes will have to come. Gaudreau isn't going to be a Flame long term and Tkachuk also isn't likely to be.
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Nonsense.
He is 23 years old...far from his peak years yet.
Sutter is not here for a rebuild and ownership certainly didnt open their wallets to bring him in and oversee one.
Since coming into the NHL and among those that have played over 300 games, he is a top 35 ppg producer in the entire NHL.
This whole narrative about him being a poor skater is just so overblown as well. No he is not a fast skater at all, but he is no worse than half the NHL in that aspect ano he makes up fpr that is with his IQ and strength. His body positioning and ability to anticipate where to be, negate almost any lack of foot speed. He is very good defensively on a team that struggles being so.
MT is a pretty special layer and it behooves me how many have turned on him because he appears to be having a down season. Its like what he accomplished in his previous 300 games is the outlier and what has happened in the last 30 is the norm. It makes zero sense.
Now should he be asking for some outrageous salary on his next deal, then fine...explore dealing him. That is not an issue at this point and BT has a year and a bit to get that figured out.
You want a rebuild here? You start by keeping the young guy in MT, not by trading him.