Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Vail
Anaheim told their UFAs that they needed to re-sign before the trade deadline or be traded. Some re-signed, some were traded. It wasn't a contractual drop dead deadline, but a franchise imposed one.
|
It was a league-imposed deadline, as it was the latest date that trading them for meaningful assets was an option.
Trading Gaudreau for meaningful assets at the draft was not an option. Trading Tkachuk for meaningful assets was an option and still is, and moreover, what the Flames get for Tkachuk is none of Gaudreau's concern.
If the Flames had tried to set a deadline of draft day, Gaudreau would have had absolutely nothing to lose by just ignoring it.