Quote:
Originally Posted by tkflames
The complicated party in this is Tkachuk. Chucky is probably tying staying to a Gaudreau contract. If you are trading Chucky, you should do it at the draft from an asset management standpoint for anything but picks (players are cheapest and picks are most expensive). That is where you will get maximum value - but you can't really do it until you know what's going on with Johnny.
Looks to me like a very low leverage situation for the Flames on all fronts which is why we have seen the level of frustration in this thread that we have.
|
I think the Flames are more likely to keep Chucky without Gaudreau. I don't think Gaudreau weighs heavily in Chucky's decision - we hit his number or we don't.
If anything, I think he might be a bit less likely to go for a 1 year 'contract year' without Gaudreau than he would with him.
My personal prediction is Johnny leaves (70%) and they sign Chucky around 8x9.75M. Depending on how the season goes they may still move him before any trade protection kicks in. I also think this would warrant the best return compared to trading him with contract uncertainty.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
Tavares hasn’t moved the needle for the Leafs so I think it comes down to the fact that he’s not a guy that elevates players around him. Gaudreau on the other hand clearly opens up things for his line mates. Losing him will likely impact the Flames far greater especially in the transition game.
|
The flip side is the team may stop 'deferring' so much to him to make things happen.
I think the team will be worse in the regular season, but has a
chance to be better in the playoffs - with more cap for better depth, and I just don't think Johnny's gamebreaking ability happens enough in the post-season compared to guys like Kucherov/MacKinnon/McDavid/Draisaitl.