[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Yeah, I don’t get the fury. No doubt he would have preferred NJ or Philly. But he’s still closer to home, not in Canada anymore, easier for family to visit.

Living in the U.S. obviously has a lot of value to Gaudreau and other American players. There were rumblings during the pandemic that many American NHLers were not at all happy with how restricted they were in Canada. Then you have the climate, international customs for families (in a country where most people don’t even own passports), taxes, etc.

This is just the way the league is going. NHL markets are breaking into clear tiers, and small-market Canadian teams are at the bottom - yes, even below American markets like Columbus. In that light, Gaudreau’s decision isn’t baffling at all.

As for the relative competitiveness of the teams, I honestly don’t think that matters much to UFAs. It’s only a big deal to vets in the twilight of their careers chasing a Cup.

Yeah it could be something as simple as his wife not wanting to live in Canada for 8 years.