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Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
The thing that stands out to me about Tkachuk's comments is that he volunteers information that are not cookie cutter platitudes that all players say. He gives specific details about what he wanted and why he didn't get it, and he didn't need to say anything about that. He said things that are either facts or lies (not opinions), and I honestly couldn't see him lying about the specifics to the media and in front of the other people who were in the same room when the contract talks were going on.
Things that are just platitudes and opinions, like; "I love it here. This is where I want to be.", can often be dismissed because you don't ever really know what people are thinking, but Tkachuk stated some pretty specific details in the negotiations. I am inclined to take those statements at face value.
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IMO Tkachuk knows exactly what he’s doing with media, and says exactly what he thinks will make him look good. Of course he’s going to say he was willing to play long term in Calgary. What’s he going to say “yeah, I wanted to be a UFA asap” or “I wanted out of Canada”. A media savvy guy like him is never going to say that. And he’s probably not lying - just perhaps leaving out that he was willing to stay but at a huge overpayment that wasn’t affordable no matter who the team moved. Or that when he says long term he means 6 years, not eight, and that he would have been asking for a trade by year three.
I a little surprised that so many CPers just take what he says at such a superficial level and assume a deal for, say 8 x 8M was possible.
This is nothing against Tkachuk. But watch his press conferences and you will see a guy who says all the right things - just in a non-cliche and purposeful manner.