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Originally Posted by transplant99
Oh for sure...hell i wasnt sure he was signing out of college to be honest.
But TOfan said "Gaudreau has had opportunities to leave the Flames,"
I really do not think thats true at all short of asking for a trade, which anyone can do in theory.
Now things have changed though with him holding, literally, all the leverage. If he wants to leave, he can and there is nothing anyone can do. That was not the case previous to this season.
He might re-sign in Calgary but I highly doubt it happens before he checks what's out there....why would he?
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Okay, let me rephrase it; Gaudreau, as far as the public is aware, has never exercised his ability to leave. To your point, he has never asked for a trade. He has signed two contracts with the team.
Honestly, it’s getting tiresome reading people say ‘Gaudreau has all the leverage’. Yes. That’s what happens when a player hits UFA eligible status. It happens to them all, provided their careers last that long. Does this mean Gaudreau is going to demand the Flames pay him an amount of money that no one else possibly could? I kind of doubt that. And let’s not kid ourselves, no matter we’re Gaudreau signs, he’s going to get paid. This narrative that Gaudreau has the Flames bent over a barrel is lazy.
From what I’ve heard Gaudreau has said he wants to stay. I think he’s on record at least twice saying this. His family has been supportive of how they have treated Johnny. Example; Gaudreau returned to play his final year at BC so he could play with his brother. Did the Flames put pressure on him to leave and sign a pro contract? No. They were smart about it and let him do what he wanted. They built trust. Apparently his wife has left her job in Philadelphia to move here and I’m not certain of this but apparently resuming her career as a nurse here? His mom recently tweeted she like the sound of an 8 year contract extension with the Flames.
What if Gaudreau actually is happy here and what if Gaudreau is actually okay with the $72-80M coming his way (my bet).
The other thing that is tiring is reading ‘how Treliving is going to let his most prized asset leave for nothing’? What did he do when Brandon Hickey wasn’t going to sign here? What about Adam Fox? What did he do when Dougie Hamilton wanted to leave? When he determined Michael Ferland was unlikely to fit the team’s salary structure moving forward? What about a year ago when it was likely he was going to lose one of Sam Bennett or Mark Giordano? He was going to lose a player in the expansion draft. There was nothing he could do about it. The fact he lost a good player speaks to the fact that this was, and is, a good team. He did lose Brodie but he did have a contingency plan and I’d argue a pretty damn good one. Hell, he even got a 4th for Frolik.
Bottom line, none of us are in the room but I’m not sensing frustration from either side here. Gaudreau’s agent isn’t kicking up a bunch of dust like Pietroangelo’s agent did. If there is an appetite from both sides to work something out, it’s more likely than not to work out.
My bet, Gaudeau signs an 8 year $72-80M sometime before the draft.