Quote:
Originally Posted by transplant99
Its heartfelt, genuine and still full of contradictions.
Its clear he and his wife were putting family first, and good on them for doing so because its the right thing to do. No one should hold that against them as he earned that right in multiple ways.
The disconnect happens when he says family is priority one and eloquently states why, but then says he was still looking at Calgary as a place to play. He needed to make a tough choice? Nope, he had already made it. He just needed to face it and let the club know. Not so they could "deal his rights", but so the management team could pivot to addressing his loss before draft day and beyond. The team and fanbase he espouses to love and cherish was left holding the bag because of how this was handled. You don't do that to something you love...full stop.
Nope, this was done without class or honor. He knows it too. NHL rules allow it of course and he isnt the first player to play it this way, nor will he be the last. That does not change the fact he has to wear the scarlet letter on this debacle.
Hope him nothing but success off the ice and a long happy life with his growing family, but as a player....he can beat it.
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I’m not sure I agree it was done without class or honor but in the end I think he just wasn’t being honest with himself or the Flames.
Sounds like deep inside that his heart wasn’t really in to re-signing with the Flames from the start of the offseason, and he actually just needed to admit that to himself.
But I can see that conflict too, sometimes you think you’re open to something right until that moment is right in front of you.
I don’t think it was malicious or that he was using the Flames as leverage, especially considering it sounds like he didn’t actually make the decision until he was just about to put pen to paper with the Flames and then realized he couldn’t do it. But that also doesn’t mean he handled it the right way.
Flames got left at the alter. It’s a bit immature, and you always wish the runaway bride or groom would have handled it better, but in the end sometimes it’s tough to know for sure right until you’re at that moment and you just can’t do it.
In the end Gaudreau loved the Flames and Calgary but also just didn’t want to marry us.
Edit: also maybe it’s just me but I didn’t feel the piece was too polished at all. I actually found the construct a little sloppy and felt like it could have been written by him for sure.