Quote:
https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news...ng/c-334979276
Doesn't sound at all like it was a snap decision, sounds like Gaudreau himself reached out to the Columbus team and let them know it was one of his true primary destinations. Why he couldn't tell Tre or the Flames org this so they could properly asset management is pure selfishness.
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On top of that, in the words of general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, Gaudreau's signing wasn't simply the case of a player with no other options.
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"He told us this was one of his true primary destinations," Kekalainen said Wednesday evening. "We were like, 'OK, wow, is this real?'
The more I think about this, more it does seem true that Columbus was one of his true list of targets. Johnny posted on social media that he had talked to Cam Atkinson, Dalton Prout, and his lifelong friend Eric Robinson (Buddy's brother) and they all had been telling him to go to Columbus and that he would love it there. I think this definitely has to do with the fact that it's a quieter market where he can be a professional athlete and also have a quieter family life without the constant pressure. Maybe that's why the other players also recommended it to him.
The part that bothers me is this makes it clear he has a list of "true primary destinations" and if Calgary wasn't on this, this is just a really bad faith negotiation that messed up our asset management. If he was torn, that's fine, that's human but they need to come up with a solution that works for both parties. I mentioned in the BT thread that a compromised would have been for the Flames to give him a generous offer like 8x11 but tell Gaudreau it expires on draft day as we need a definite answer to make the right moves. In business offers always have expiration dates.