Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
The last three cup champions have had the exact same situation play out, with the player re-signing coming right down to the last minute.
Tampa Bay with Stamkos.
Colorado with Landeskog.
The Islanders did it with Tavares too, and actually lost him - and then made the 2nd round, Conference Finals, and Conference finals in three successive seasons.
I think there is an argument to be made that any chance of keeping Gaudreau is probably worth more than the couple of picks they could have got for him as a rental would have been.
|
The Flames are at a disadvantage to a Tampa and Colorado, who are arguably the two best managed (trades/cap) regular season teams in the last half dozen years. Tampa also has the best post season record with their two cups and a tax friendly environment. These are stacked teams where the loss of a Stmakos or Landeskog is less consequential than a Gaudreau is to Calgary. This also provides and incentive for a Landeskog and Stamkos to stay for a very likely cup run. The middling Flames don't have that pedigree....they're touch and go for playoffs (win a round or not) over the last 3 decades, with 2004 as an outlier. Their roster construction (better drafting lately)/trading record is average so, they don't have the luxury of incurring unecessary risk in losing prime assets for nothing.
The Islander comparison is more valid. I think most would agree that the Conference final Isles were overachieving/unexpected contenders. Just like the 2004 Flames. Mediocre teams have outlier seasons but by and large, they remain mediocre. When they piss away prime assets, they set back their franchises back years and need to rely on catching lightning in a bottle for unexpected deep playoff runs