Count me in the group that thinks he wrote this and that it was genuine - I've been in a similar position work and life wise (good career in the East but longing to return home and be closer to family) so I fully appreciate the desire to pick a location that's closer for his family to come visit. Leaving Calgary at the end of his contract was his right; the issue I have, and continue to have, is the way he delayed his decision, which in retrospect seems inevitable, such that it really screwed over the team going forward.
If he had come out pre-draft and said he wanted to test the market, fair play, then the Flames could have implemented contingency plans and tried to maximize their return for Tkachuk. Unfortunately, as it is now, with other GMs knowing the position Calgary is in vis a vis Tkachuk, I fear that the return we get for him will be underwhelming.
Instead of contending for 3-5 years if Gaudreau had stayed, we're going to be stuck in mediocrity over that time period with a team that's too good to tank but too weak to contend.
Good luck in life and bad luck on the rink Johnny, thanks for the memories but that chapter is now closed.
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